Kanlaon evacuees march back to evacuation center
Published Jul 6, 2025 10:40 pm
A SIMULATION exercise on a possible Alert Level 4 eruption of Kanlaon Volcano was conducted in La Castellana, Negros Occidental on Saturday, July 5 to assess local contingency plans and disaster response. (Photo courtesy of La Castellana MDRRMO FB)
BACOLOD CITY – Several Kanlaon Volcano evacuees who recently left an evacuation center in La Castellana, Negros Occidental without permission have starting returning, John de Asis, head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), said.
In a phone interview on July 6, De Asis said that vehicles from the municipal government fetched them from their houses in Barangay Cabagna-an, a day after they fled the La Castellana National High School-Senior High School evacuation center at the town proper on June 30.
De Asis has no figure of how many returned. He said they resisted at first and complained of the difficulty going in and out of the evacuation center during the window period to conduct their livelihood.
De Asis noted the challenges faced by the evacuees who have been at the evacuation center for the past seven months but stressed the importance of abiding with safety protocols due to the prevailing threat of Kanlaon Volcano still under Alert Level 3.
He said that Barangay Cabagna-an is within the six-kilometer danger zone and urged remaining evacuees to return to the center for their safety, assuring them of assistance from the local government and the provincial government.
“The local government is trying its best to extend any necessary help to them,” he added.
Meanwhile, La Castellana conducted a simulation exercise on Kanlaon Volcano on Saturday, July 5, in observance of National Disaster Resilience Month 2025.
The event was spearheaded by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
The MDRRMO actively assisted in the facilitation of a comprehensive simulation exercise focused on a possible Alert Level 4 eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.
It aimed to assess and enhance the preparedness, coordination, and response capabilities of Barangays Cabacungan, Manghanoy, Puso, Camandag, and Sag-ang.
The simulation included evacuation procedures, early warning dissemination, and coordination protocols to ensure community readiness in the event of a volcanic eruption.
The MDRRMO and partner agencies were able to assess local contingency plans, identify gaps in logistics and resources, and reinforce the importance of proactive disaster risk reduction.
The town is the most affected local government unit in the province since the Dec. 9, 2024 eruption.