BACOLOD City – The Regional Inter-Agency Coordinating Cell (RIACC) has allowed a limited re-entry into the four-to-six-kilometer extended danger zone (EDZ) of Mt. Kanlaon.
This move will allow one person per family to perform farming and other essential activities back home such as checking of properties and feeding of the remaining livestock and poultry.
According to Memorandum No. 4, S. 2024 of the Regional Inter-Agency Coordinating Cell (RIACC), only internally displaced individuals (IDPs) with the necessary access pass and proof of identification are allowed beginning 6 a.m. until 4 p.m. only.
Outside these hours, no human activity may be conducted within the EDZ.
Border control points are manned round the clock and law enforcers are keen to implement the resolution.
To ensure the safety and quick extraction of authorized IDPs in the event of an explosive eruption, pick-up points in various areas have been established.
Meanwhile, according to local authorities, some farmers in La Castellana request to adjust the time of entry from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. to be able to start and also finish early, avoiding the extreme heat in broad daylight.
For his part, Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6 director and RIACC chairperson Raul Fernandez pleaded for the IDPs’ understanding of their prolonged stay in evacuation centers.
“Nagapangayo lang kami sa inyo [sang] understanding sa nangyayari sa atin ngayon. Wala naman tayong magagawa. Meron pa tayong kinakaharap na threat. May risgo pa rin para kayo ay ibalik. Ang aming hinihingi sa inyo ay kooperasyon lang. Pag-unawa at kooperasyon. Ito ay para naman sa kanilang kaligtasan,” said Fernandez.
He then assured that the primary needs of the IDPs will be provided to guarantee their health and well-being amid this crisis.
While authorized residents can now briefly return to their homes and farms, officials reiterate that vigilance, preparedness, and compliance with regulations lessen risks within the EDZ. (PIA)
