BACOLOD City – Six schools under the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Bago City in Negros Occidental will no longer hold Christmas parties due to the eruption of the Mount Kanlaon.
These schools are RS Abindan Elementary School in Barangay Ilijan; Mailum Eelementary School in Barangay Mailum; Najaba Elementary School in Barangay Bacong; and Maao Elementary School, Louisiana Elementary School and Ramon Torres Louisiana National High School in Barangay Ma-ao.
The Schools Division of Bago City said the aforementioned schools will transition to modular and online instruction effective today, December 16, in light of the Kanlaon volcanic eruption on December 9.
Moreover, the said schools were ordered to refrain from holding any Christmas parties or gatherings, both inside and outside the school premises.
Further, all learners are advised to remain at home and avoid unnecessary exposure at outside areas, and in-person classes are suspended until further notice, and all academic activities will be conducted remotely through online platforms and modular learning materials.
Effective December 13, the entire province of Negros Occidental was placed under a state of calamity following the approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) of the recommendation of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).
The PDRRMC, in its Resolution No. 11, recommended to the SP to place the entire province under a state of calamity due to the eruption of Mount Kanlaon, which is now on Alert Level 3 status.
The cities of La Carlota and Bago, and the municipalities of La Castellana, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Valladolid, San Enrique, and Binalbagan were greatly affected by the said eruption.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has advised all local government units to enforce the evacuation of areas within a 6-kilometer radius from the volcano’s summit and prepare for potential expansion of the evacuation zone if activity intensifies./PN
