BACOLOD City – The local government of La Castellana in Negros Occidental is urgently seeking assistance for residents affected by the recent Kanlaon Volcano eruption.
Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan said between 10,000 to 12,000 residents from 13 barangays were affected, most of whom are farmers in upland villages.
She said they need potable water as well as cash assistance to buy food and medicines particularly for residents who suffered from cough, asthma ad eye irritation due to the volcanic ash.
The mayor added the eruption of the volcano and the lahar flow induced by rains contaminated water sources.
Rivers and streams in the town as well as in La Carlota City were choked with lahar.
According to Mari-Andylene Quintia, science research specialist at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, “Naapektuhan ‘yung water sources. Some reported po na humina ‘yung tubig. Water might be contaminated because of the ash po, it might not be safe for drinking.”
Quintia advised residents that if they unsure of their water sources, it would be better not to utilize it especially for drinking.
In response, Bacolod City’s Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez and Victorias City’s Mayor Javi Benitez personally spearheaded the delivery of aid to La Castellana yesterday.
The Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office and the Victorias City Government brought their water tankers to distribute water to the residents. They also distributed hygiene kits and food supplies.
Mayor Javi, the president of the Association of Chief Executives (ACE) in Negros Occidental, also turned over cash assistance worth P100,000 to Mayor Mangilimutan.
Curfew
As the worst-hit by the eruption of Kanlaon, Mayor Mangilimutan ordered a curfew from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m. starting Friday “to regulate public and non-essential activities to ensure the safety of residents and to support the anti-criminality effort of the Philippine National Police during these times.”
In an executive order, she said curfew shall be imposed on individuals in public places except for government workers, as well as workers of private and public offices on duty during curfew hours, medical doctors and veterinarians whose services are needed, and workers of public utility companies conducting construction, maintenance, and emergency activities.
As of Thursday, June 6, about 330 families or 1,285 individuals remained in various evacuation centers in Las Castellana while 69 families or 384 persons were staying with other family members or relatives, data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 6 showed.
Meanwhile, after an explosive eruption on June 3, Mt. Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 2, which means “there is current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could eventually lead to further explosive eruptions or even precede hazardous magmatic eruption.” (With a report from the Philippine News Agency)/PN
