By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY – A total of 1,221 families, or 3,815 individuals displaced outside evacuation centers in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, due to the Dec. 9, 2024, Kanlaon Volcano eruption will receive financial assistance from the national government.
Mayor Rex Jalando-on confirmed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to extending the same financial aid to families living outside government shelters.
Jalando-on had appealed for assistance for these individuals, acknowledging their ongoing struggles. The financial aid is expected to be distributed within two weeks.
Marcos, along with Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian, visited the city on Feb. 21.
During his visit, Marcos led the distribution of relief assistance, including food packs and PHP5,000 cash aid to 323 families, or 1,111 individuals, staying in four evacuation centers in La Carlota City.
The President also met with mayors from Bago City, La Castellana in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental to discuss the government’s response to the volcanic threat.
Despite concerns about his health, Jalando-on expressed his commitment to serving the community, thanking the public for their support as he recovers from gout and arthritis.
Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is set to implement a national task force to address both immediate and long-term needs of affected communities.
The task force, consisting of key government agencies and local units, will focus on a redevelopment plan for impacted areas.
During a situation briefing in La Carlota City, the President proposed the construction of permanent evacuation centers for displaced residents while conditions remain unstable.
OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said efforts will focus on building permanent evacuation centers outside the six-kilometer danger zone.
Currently, 2,660 families, or 8,509 individuals, are housed in 23 evacuation centers across Western and Central Visayas.
The government has already allocated PHP95.6 million in assistance and prepositioned PHP144.04 million worth of relief supplies for affected areas across 28 cities and municipalities.
As of Feb. 19, the total cost of aid provided by the DSWD, non-government organizations (NGOs), and local government units (LGUs) in Regions 6 and 7 amounts to PHP199.6 million, with an additional PHP4.33 million from the OCD and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (PDRRMOs) in the same regions.
The OCD has been closely monitoring the situation since the onset of the Kanlaon eruption and assured that it is ready to mobilize resources to ensure all affected residents receive the support they need.
