Canlaon city: Nineteen families in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental are still residing in evacuation centers, while others displaced by last year’s Mt. Kanlaon eruption have returned home, an official reported.
According to Philippines News Agency, Seth Cabanas Bariga, the information officer for the city’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC), stated that initially, 45 families within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone of the volcano were deemed ineligible to return home. Some families have chosen to leave the evacuation centers and stay with relatives instead.
Bariga mentioned that the Camps 11, 13, and 19 evacuation sites remain operational, but the EOC plans to consolidate the remaining displaced persons into a single camp for more efficient management and monitoring.
As these internally displaced persons (IDPs) transition to a new phase after eight months in temporary shelters, the local government unit (LGU), barangays, and government agencies are dedicated to supporting their recovery. The city will continue providing cash aid to all IDPs, whether in camps or with relatives, with the amount depending on available funds.
Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas has tasked the barangays with assessing the homes of families who have returned and will provide galvanized iron sheets as necessary. Additionally, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) distributed food packs before the families left the camps.
The city is also considering offering seeds and fertilizers in partnership with the Department of Agriculture. The recovery process for those who have returned home is expected to be manageable, as IDPs have been able to visit their farms and tend to livestock during specific hours in recent months.
Thousands of residents from villages within the permanent danger zone were evacuated following the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon on December 9, 2024. Most were allowed to return home after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) lowered the volcano’s alert status from three to two last week.
