Administrative Order No. 32, signed by President Marcos on April 24, establishes the National Task Force Kanlaon, which will coordinate recovery, rehabilitation, and resettlement programs for affected areas.
PBBM creates Task Force Kanlaon to lead volcanic response
Apr 25, 2025 07:55 AM
At a glance
President Marcos has signed an administrative order creating a task force that will lead government response efforts related to the ongoing volcanic activity of Mt. Kanlaon.
Administrative Order No. 32, signed by President Marcos on April 24, establishes the National Task Force Kanlaon, which will coordinate recovery, rehabilitation, and resettlement programs for affected areas.
"This may include, among others, the Kanlaon Recovery and Development Plan, conduct of a comprehensive risk assessment on areas within the Mt. Kanlaon 14-kilometer danger zone, continuous provision of relief and other forms of assistance to the displaced population, and the establishment of sustainable resettlement areas with adequate housing, infrastructure, and livelihood opportunities," it read.
The Kanlaon Recovery and Development Plan shall contain short- and long-term strategies and concrete action plans on housing and resettlement, infrastructure, social welfare, livelihood and business development, and governance.
The task force was formed in response to the increasing unrest of Mt. Kanlaon, which has been under Alert Level 3 since Dec. 9, 2024.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) earlier reported that the eruption has affected more than 12,360 families, or over 48,500 individuals.
It has also caused an estimated P129 million in agricultural damage.
President Marcos has stressed the need for a coordinated approach to reduce the eruption’s social, economic, and environmental impacts.
The task force will be chaired by the Department of National Defense (DND).
Members will include the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and other concerned agencies.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) will serve as the task force’s secretariat and support unit.
The creation of Task Force Kanlaon is in line with the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010.
It also supports the goals of the Mt. Kanlaon National Park Act of 2001, which protects the Mt. Kanlaon ecosystem and nearby communities.