By ERWIN ‘AMBO’ DELILAN
THE ONGOING Kanlaon crisis has led to a science-politics collision, leaving affected Negrenses in the city of La Carlota and La Castellana town weary.
State monitoring agency Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) maintains the Alert Level 3 in the restive Kanlaon Volcano. But it says there is a higher chance of an erupt anytime that could bring destructive pyroclastic density currents (PDCs).
PDCs are hot gases, ashes and other volcanic particles. They may stream so fast from the crater and downward, destroying or even killing anything in their path.
With this scientific-based warning from Phivolcs, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and its front actor, the Task Force Kanlaon (TFK), of course, get wary. More so if Phivolcs will raise later the alert level from 3 to 4 and extend the permanent danger zone from the current six kilometers to 14 km. That’s why OCD and TFK want to execute “now na” preemptive evacuation of people even outside of the six-kilometer danger zone.
Citing the estimates of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), OCD Region 6 director and TFK head Raul Fernandez said more than 100,000 people from 35 villages in Negros Occidental and Oriental situated near Kanlaon Volcano are to be evacuated.
‘PALABAN’
Concerned mayors are now “palaban”. Bago City’s Mayor Nicholas Yulo and La Castellana’s Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan chorused they don’t have problems with preemptive evacuation.
But their very pressing question to OCD’s Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno, who was in Bacolod on January 15 is, who will sustain their evacuees?
Nepomuceno said evacuees will be taken care of by both the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH).
Mayor Mangilimutan, however, said her local government unit is now financially drained because of the prolonged Kanlaon crisis.
Spending half a million pesos every day just for the food of the evacuees is no joke, she stressed.
Will the national government refund their expenses?
WHERE IS THE P50 MILLION?
This fund from President Bongbong Marcos is for Negros Occidental evacuees. It was downloaded to the provincial government before Christmas 2024.
On January 3, the provincial government said the amount was intact and it was just waiting for guidelines from the Palace on how to disburse such.
On January 8, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved the disbursement of the P50 million for Kanlaon evaucees.
So, has it been disbursed already?
TRICKY
Kanlaon remains restive, and no one can predict when it will erupt again. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) is diligently issuing daily warnings backed by scientific data.
The OCD and TFK are showing deep concern for the people who could be severely affected if the feared doomsday scenario unfolds. Their efforts are centered on the establishment of tent cities as part of preparedness measures.
Meanwhile, the mayors are preoccupied with managing their budgets, acting like financial officers, treasurers, and accountants. They’re acutely aware of how much they’ve spent and how much funding remains.
Adding to the complexity is the election season, which makes them cautious in their decisions and actions. They seem wary of making choices that could backfire and lead to an early “political crisis.” As the Hiligaynon saying goes, naga-panagadsad!
It’s understandable that they don’t want to act recklessly during the ongoing Kanlaon crisis. But here’s the big question: What if Kanlaon unleashes a “big time” eruption, and OCD and TFK’s concerns turn out to be correct? It’s a tricky situation.
Are we simply going to “cross the bridge when we get there”? But what if, by then, the bridge no longer exists?
Sadyâ gid ni!/PN
