ILOILO City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 6 continues to extend aid to families affected by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Negros Island.
As of June 8, DSWD-6 led by Regional Director Carmelo Nochete has distributed a total of P1,856,652 worth of food and non-food items. This assistance has reached 1,650 families, comprising 5,514 individuals.
The majority of the affected families, 1,239 families or 4,293 individuals, were from La Castellana in Negros Occidental.
Other recipients were from La Carlota City, Bago City, and Pontevedra.
Currently, 1,177 families, consisting of 4,131 individuals, remain in evacuation centers, all located in La Castellana.
Additionally, 50 displaced families, totaling 129 individuals, have sought shelter with relatives and friends.
“We, at DSWD Region 6, are continuously helping families affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon. Along with our counterpart in Negros Oriental under DSWD Region 7 and local government units, we want to ensure the families are safe and provided with their basic necessities,” said Nochete.
Besides DSWD-6, local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental have also contributed a total of P1 million worth of assistance.
Bago City provided P107,250, La Carlota City P341,590, Pontevedra P162,190, and La Castellana P429,845.85, with the majority of funds coming from the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental. Non-government organizations in La Carlota City also provided P49,700 worth of aid.
On June 4, a day after the eruption, DSWD-6 conducted a crash course on Camp Coordination and Camp Management for Quick Response Teams and LGU representatives to ensure smooth and coordinated management of evacuation centers and handling of evacuees.
The department also deployed a Mobile Command Center (MCC) to La Castellana to facilitate timely report submissions and enhance disaster response.
The MCC is equipped with state-of-the-art satellite internet, two laptops, two mobile printers, a portable scanner, a camera, large power banks, and two sets of 5KVA generators that can provide power and internet connection for disaster-affected communities.
Assisting Director Nochete in response operations is Erlyn Garcia, chief of the Disaster Response Management Division. (With a report from DSWD-6)/PN
