JOINT MEETING. Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez (4th from left), chairperson of the Regional Development Council (RDC)-6, and Office of Civil Defense-6 Regional Director Raul Fernandez (5th from left), chairperson of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)-6, with the Mt. Kanlaon Regional Incident Management Team and other OCD-6 personnel. Benitez presided while Fernandez co-presided in the joint meeting of the RDC-6, RDRRMC-6, and Regional Peace and Order Council-6 held at the L’ Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City on Thursday (July 18, 2024). (PNA photo by Nanette L. Guadalquiver)
BACOLOD CITY – The Office of Civil Defense-Western Visayas (OCD-6) is coordinating with other government agencies to initiate the relocation of residents within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Island.
OCD-6 Regional Director Raul Fernandez, who also chairs the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC)-6, said on Thursday the affected local government units (LGUs), including La Castellana, La Carlota City, and Bago City, are willing to comply with such recommendation, but they are facing funding limitations.
“One of the challenges is the cost of relocation. Our LGUs cannot afford the budget for that so we are seeking the assistance of the involved national government agencies to come up with a plan on how they can relocate and support those who will be displaced and are dependent on agriculture in Mt. Kanlaon,” Fernandez said in an interview on the sidelines of the joint meeting of the Regional Development Council-6, Regional Peace and Order Council-6, and RDRRMC-6 held at the L’ Fisher Hotel here.
He said these agencies include the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, the National Housing Authority, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Department of Agriculture.
Fernandez said the identified families inside the four-kilometer PDZ, particularly those who are from Barangays Biak na Bato and Masulog in La Castellana, have remained in the barangay evacuation centers since the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on June 3.
“They are still allowed to work on their farm in the morning, and in the afternoon, they must go back to where they are now staying,” he added.
In the summary of issues, concerns, and recommendations, the OCD-6 Regional Incident Management Team said the appropriate regional or national agency should identify the relocation site and funding for the construction of housing for the affected families.
They also recommended the demolition of houses inside the four-kilometer PDZ and the passage of an ordinance prohibiting entry to the area.
Another recommendation is the installation of demarcation flags along the four-kilometer PDZ with the support of the LGUs, barangays, and other regional line agencies during preparation and implementation.
Based on the data of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, a total of 9,119 families or 28,017 persons in 18 barangays of five LGUs in Negros Occidental have been affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon.
The worst-hit is La Castellana, where 8,572 families or 26,121 persons in nine barangays have been affected. (PNA)
