ILOILO City – A plan has been devised in case Kanlaon volcano, an active stratovolcano in Negros Island, erupts, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Region 6.
Following Taal volcano’s eruption in Batangas last January 2020, the OCD-6 headed by Director Jose Roberto Nuñez, various agencies and local government units in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental crafted a contingency plan.
“We saw how the people especially from the Calabarzon region experienced the eruption, and us here, in partnership with Region 7, nag-initiate to craft a contingency plan para at least preparado kita,” said Cindy Ferrer, spokesperson of OCD-6. The plan has also been disseminated.
What’s the plan?
Ferrer underscored the designation of various functions to partnered entities in time of the eruption.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would be in-charge for the primary necessities of the evacuees, while OCD-6 would take care of the logistics, Ferrer said.
Further, concerned local government units (LGU) will lead the overall response; the Department of Health (DOH) will handle the deployment of emergency vehicles and management of the health of the evacuees; and the Philippine National Police (PNP) will ensure order in evacuation centers.
Ferrer said a simulation exercise was held in November last year “para ma-practice ang amon preparation nga na-integrate sa contingency plan.”
Those residing near Kanlaon volcano are also advised to be aware of their dedicated evacuation centers.
The OCD-6 is being extra watchful after Taal displayed volcanic unrest since last week, July 1. As of 8 a.m. on July 5, high levels of volcanic sulfur dioxide gas emissions and steam-rich plumes were generated from the Taal Main Crater, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
Kanlaon volcano, as of this writing, was on Alert Level 1. The Phivolcs warned of possible steam or phreatic explosions.
CONSIDER COVID
The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic was also not taken out of the picture. “What if mag-erupt ang Kanlaon and naga-suffer kita gihapon sa COVID-19?” Ferrer posed. “So, gin-practice namon nga during evacuation, may social distancing, naka-mask… tapos ang kabataan kon paano ma-handle sang maayo.”
Ferrer also noted that the OCD-central office is disseminating their practices to its regional offices with the ongoing Taal unrest.
Meanwhile, Ferrer added that Negros Occidental is also tightening its eruption watch, and in fact, it even invested to equipment to monitor Kanlaon’s real-time activity./PN
