BACOLOD CITY – The Office of the Civil Defense is preparing for the potential evacuation of up to 100,000 residents when the alert level of Kanlaon Volcano is raised from Alert Level 3 to Level 4.
THE Office of the Civil Defense led by Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno meets Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan at the Provincial Capitol in Bacolod City on Wednesday, Jan. 15, to discuss preparations for the possible escalation of Kanlaon Volcano volcanic activities. (Photo courtesy of Richard Malihan/Capitol PIO)
OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, accompanied by OCD-Western Visayas Regional Director Raul Fernandez, met Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan at the Provincial Capitol here on Wednesday, Jan. 15, to discuss the ongoing preparations for the possible escalation of Kanlaon’s volcanic activity.
Nepomuceno highlighted the challenges faced by the evacuees, acknowledging the difficulty of long stays in evacuation centers.
“We understand that the conditions in these centers are far from ideal. Despite all efforts to improve support, we know it’s not an easy situation,” Nepomuceno said.
At present, 1,100 families or 10,000 individuals are staying in evacuation centers in affected areas, with more evacuees expected as the situation develops.
Last week, the city governments of Bago and La Castellana in Negros Occidental started decamping evacuees residing beyond the six-kilometer radius of the Kanlaon Permanent Danger Zone.
Nepomuceno said that local government units concerned are compliant with the evacuation of residents within the PDZ and the six-kilometer radius while the volcano is under Alert Level 3.
But, as the situation unfolds, Nepomuceno reiterated his appeal to residents outside the six-kilometer radius to remain in evacuation centers for their safety and assured that the government is doing everything it can to manage the crisis effectively.
“We are urging them to go to the evacuation centers and stay there so they won’t add up to the additional evacuees under Alert Level 4,” he said.
He added that this move will also reduce the work of authorities for a massive evacuation if needed.
Nepomuceno said that he understands the evacuees, as well as the pressure on LGUs to sustain evacuation efforts.
If the alert level reaches four, Nepomuceno said that they may need to evacuate people from the danger zone that extends beyond the six-kilometer radius to up to 10 kilometers, affecting an additional 100,000 individuals or 10,000 families.
He said that evacuating 100,000 people is no easy task, particularly in a short timeframe.
Nepomuceno said that it took one to two days to evacuate less than 2,000 people during the Dec. 9 eruption.
“How do we evacuate 100,000 people in a short period of time, and ensure that no one is left behind or endangered?” he said.
While the evacuation process for this large number of people is challenging, preparations are underway.
Nepomuceno said being prepared is important, especially as authorities monitor the situation closely.
He said they want to know how ready LGUs are in case the situation worsens.
Nepomuceno said that LGUs in collaboration with national agencies are ensuring that logistics, food, hygiene kits, and medical supplies are available for those affected.
He assured evacuees that the government is fully prepared and will deploy all necessary resources, including vehicles and airlifting capabilities, if needed.
“We are coordinating with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Department of Health (DOH), and other relevant agencies to provide the necessary assistance,” he said.
He said that funds for this year have been allocated and they are ready to help.
Nepomuceno asked for understanding as they could not tell how long evacuees would stay at temporary shelters.
“We just hope and pray that this will end soon and that Kanlaon will be calm,” he added.