By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has provided assistance to over 9,000 families affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on Negros Island earlier this June.

The Office of Civil Defense Western Visayas (OCD-6) reported that two wing vans filled with essential medicines, food, and non-food items were delivered by PAGCOR on Sunday, June 16.

The relief goods are now stored in the provincial government-owned warehouse in Barangay Tabunan in Bago City.

According to OCD-6 Director Raul Fernandez, the delivered items include rice, bottled water, canned goods, household and sleeping items, and hygiene kits.

In addition to the relief goods, the OCD Central Office also deployed an Emergency Telecommunications Team to establish and maintain communications and internet connectivity at the Incident Command Post in La Carlota City in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.

The measure aims to enhance coordination and response efforts during the ongoing operations, according to the OCD.

Mari-Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), said the ongoing volcanic activity of Mt. Kanlaon is “erratic” and unpredictable.

In an interview with Radyo Pilipinas-Iloilo, Quintia noted that no downward trend in monitored parameters has been observed, hence the prevailing Alert Level 2.

The level indicates that increased unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes could eventually lead to “further explosive eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption.”

PHIVOLCS also reported ongoing sulfur dioxide gas emissions from the summit crater, averaging 1,807 tonnes per day on June 16.

The volcano continues to release gases, with the plume reaching up to 300 meters in height. Six volcanic earthquakes were recorded from June 16 to June 17.