ILOILO City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed a total of P32,869,079.80 in assistance to families affected by the eruption of Mount Kanlaon in Negros Island.
This aid has reached affected residents from Bago City, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, La Carlota City, Murcia, San Carlos City, and Pontevedra in Negros Occidental, according to DSWD Region 6.
Including humanitarian assistance provided by local government units (LGUs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the DSWD, the total assistance extended has reached P45,724,851.80.
DSWD-6 director Arwin Razo assured the public that sufficient relief supplies remain available for distribution.
The agency currently holds P139,396,357 in relief resources, comprising a P500,000 standby fund and P138,896,357 worth of family food packs and non-food items.
As of December 21, a total of 7,313 families or 22,622 individuals have been affected by the volcanic unrest. Of these, 2,661 families (8,740 persons) are staying in evacuation centers, while 1,549 families (4,963 persons) are sheltering outside evacuation centers.
Volcanic Activity Updates
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported four ash emissions from Mount Kanlaon on Sunday, December 29. These occurred between the following intervals:
* 5:16 a.m. to 6:01 a.m.
* 6:20 a.m. to 6:56 a.m.
* 8:16 a.m. to 8:28 a.m.
* 9:01 a.m. to 10:25 a.m.
The ash emissions produced grayish plumes that rose 100 to 200 meters above the crater before drifting westward, as recorded in Barangay Mansalanao, La Castellana, and the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory in Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
Since Saturday, December 28, a total of seven discrete ash emission events have been recorded.
Mount Kanlaon, located between Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental, remains under Alert Level 3, indicating magmatic unrest.
The volcano erupted on December 9, generating a plume that soared to 3,000 meters above the vent and drifted west-southwest, prompting the evacuation of thousands of residents.
Phivolcs has reiterated its warning against flying aircraft near the volcano and cautioned about potential hazards, including sudden explosive eruptions, lava flows, ashfall, rockfalls, lahars during heavy rains, and pyroclastic flows./PN
