By Glazyl M. Jopson
BACOLOD CITY – The Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-6 is in talks with the municipal government of La Castellana, Negros Occidental, to address concerns over evacuation sites for residents at risk from a potential major eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.
OCD-6 Regional Director Raul Fernandez said officials are urging Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan to consider using the Himamaylan tent city to accommodate a possible spillover of evacuees from La Castellana.
“We’ll keep on persuading her,” Fernandez said in a media interview on Wednesday.
He was in Bacolod for InfoPress: Understanding and Communicating Kanlaon Volcano Hazards and Information Products, an event organized by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) for public information officers and the media.
Fernandez noted that La Castellana has yet to sign a memorandum of agreement with unaffected local government units (LGUs) for disaster response and evacuation plans.
OCD is in constant contact with La Castellana officials, assisting with preparations. The deadline for their contingency plan was set for this week, but additional reviews are needed to ensure evacuation sites are safe, he said.
“Our goal is to avoid double handling of evacuees, as this would only make things harder for internally displaced persons,” Fernandez added.
During a recent contingency planning workshop, La Castellana officials identified areas in Barangays Nato and Talaptap as evacuation sites. However, these locations currently lack the necessary facilities to house displaced residents.
Fernandez said seven to eight barangays in La Castellana are affected by the volcano’s threat. While long-term plans for a permanent evacuation center are in progress, immediate action is needed to secure safe spaces for evacuees.
OCD’s proposal seeks to ease the burden on La Castellana and ensure more evacuees can be safely relocated in case of an eruption.
Initially, the evacuation plan focused on the cities of Himamaylan and Kabankalan as primary sites for La Castellana residents.
OCD had previously identified Himamaylan as a key location for a tent city if the Alert Level for Kanlaon Volcano is raised to four. The tent city in Sitio Binging, Barangay 3, is nearly complete, with 395 family tents ready.
Fernandez said there remains a shortage of evacuation centers, especially in a worst-case scenario where as many as 100,000 people or 48,000 families may need to be relocated.
OCD continues to coordinate with nearby LGUs, including Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Talisay, Silay, Cadiz, and San Carlos, to secure additional evacuation sites.
As the situation develops, OCD remains committed to ensuring safe shelter for those affected by the ongoing volcanic threat.
Despite logistical challenges, Fernandez acknowledged the cooperation of provincial authorities, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector in preparing for a possible large-scale evacuation.
He encouraged evacuees who have remained displaced since the Dec. 9, 2024, eruption to stay strong.
“Nobody wants this to happen, but together, we can overcome this,” he said.
Meanwhile, Department of Science and Technology-Phivolcs Director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol cautioned residents near the volcano to remain vigilant, as Kanlaon continues to show signs of inflation, maintaining an Alert Level 3 status on its eastern side.
Bacolcol said it remains difficult to predict the exact timeline of a possible eruption, and the ongoing inflation makes it challenging to downgrade the alert level.
The six-kilometer permanent danger zone around the volcano remains uninhabited, but LGUs must be prepared to enforce evacuation plans if conditions worsen.
Bacolcol emphasized that local governments are primarily responsible for enforcing danger zone restrictions and mobilizing evacuations, with assistance from national agencies.
“Public safety should be the top priority. Residents must follow the guidance of local officials and Phivolcs,” he said.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation, stressing the importance of preparedness as the volcanic threat persists.
