In Negros, recovery plan set for areas affected by Kanlaon’s eruption

DEALING WITH LAHAR La Castellana town in Negros Occidental is among localities surrounding Mount Kanlaon that have to deal with lahar flow that cascade down the slopes of the volcano during heavy rains and cover roads, as shown here on May 24. —CIVIL DEFENSE PH FACEBOOK PHOTO

BACOLOD CITY—A delegation from the Office of Civil Defense – Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) and the Regional Task Force Kanlaon (RTFK) have proposed recovery and development projects in La Carlota City and Moises Padilla town in Negros Occidental affected by the restiveness of Kanlaon Volcano.

The move came after a team led by OCD-NIR Director Donato A. Sermeno III visited sites in the two localities on Friday and evaluated projects for potential inclusion in the Kanlaon Recovery and Development Plan (KRDP).

This effort is a crucial step in a comprehensive risk and damage assessment mandated by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), according to Sermeno.

In La Carlota City, Sermeno met with Homer Q. Bermudo, the general manager of the city’s water district, to discuss a project focused on restoring the community’s water supply.

Kanlaon’s eruptions on June 3 and Dec. 9 in 2024 severely affected the city’s water sources, and a new source is now considered essential for residents of La Carlota, Sermeno said.

The team also visited Moises Padilla and met with Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo and Vice-Mayor Pimpoy Yulo, both of whom highlighted a proposed bridge project, which they said would significantly improve evacuation routes and provide better access for emergency responders during future disasters.

Mitigation work

These inspections support the development of the KRDP, a plan created under Administrative Order No. 32 from the Office of the President. The order established the National Task Force Kanlaon (NTFK) to coordinate government efforts in mitigating the impact of Mt. Kanlaon’s volcanic activities and to accelerate the recovery and resilience of affected communities, Sermeno said.

Some 10,000 residents in towns and cities in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental living within the immediate danger zone and slopes of Kanlaon were forced to leave their communities after the volcano’s eruption on Dec. 9 last year.

Most of the evacuated residents were sheltered in school campuses until they were transferred to government centers, tents and other accommodations when classes opened last June.

The number of evacuees slowly dwindled as those living outside the 6-kilometer expanded danger zone were allowed to go home. last month, the rest of the evacuees, mostly from La Castellana town in Negros Occidental, were finally brought home after the volcano had calmed down.