BACOLOD City – With Mount Kanlaon Volcano remaining under Alert Level 3, indicating a high risk of another – and stronger – eruption, this city has ramped up preparations to safeguard its residents.
According to the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) as of January 9, an estimated 309,619 individuals are at risk of ashfall in the event of bigger eruption.
During Mount Kanlaon’s eruption on December 9, 2024, Bacolod City was spared from ashfall due to favorable wind direction. However, if winds shift northward, the city could face significant impact.
The CDRRMO figure encompasses all 61 barangays in Bacolod City, covering vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly, persons with disabilities (PWDs), individuals with illnesses, and pregnant women.
CDRRMO head Ana Maria Laarni Pornan noted, however, that the population data submitted by the barangays is under review.
“I will verify the figures because the numbers seem unusually large,” she said in Hiligaynon.
Kanlaon, a stratovolcano standing at 2,465 meters above sea level, straddles the provinces of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental. Known as the highest peak in the Visayas, it is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines.
The CDRRMO Council recently convened to strategize disaster preparedness measures, clustering roles and responsibilities among various government and private sector offices. The clusters include health; food and non-food items; transportation, clearing, and logistics; law and order; and management of the dead and missing.
“All barangays are considered at risk because we cannot predict which areas will be affected by ashfall,” Pornan explained.
Kanlaon has over 30 recorded eruptions since 1819. Its most violent eruption in recent history occurred in August 1996, when a sudden explosion killed three climbers and injured 18 others.
The CDRRMO has stockpiled food and non-food supplies, including face masks provided by the city government and the Department of Health.
Residents are urged to remain vigilant and follow advisories as the city continues to monitor developments from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
During its eruption on December 9, 2024 at 3:03 p.m., Kanlaon released a massive ash plume and triggering pyroclastic flows./PN
