With the continuous response to Mt. Kanlaon Eruption, DSWD, PLGU, and LGU Canlaon heightened their collaborative efforts to provide community support to the affected families in each camp. DSWD 7 Quick Response Team Action Officer Ananisa Aviso and Provincial Welfare and Development Officer Hillton John V. Edrial distributed Food and Non-food Items to five additional internally displaced families (IDFs) at Evacuation Camp 2 in Jose B. Cardenas Memorial High School.

The IDFs, who came from Sitio Maput, Barangay Malaiba, Canlaon City, had been living in a 6-kilometer danger zone and were advised to leave their homes due to Mt. Kanlaon’s consistent ash emissions since December 9, 2024. The volcano’s activity has raised concerns for the local government, with Canlaon City currently under alert level 3 and preparing for a possible upgrade to alert level 4.

Melissa Algar, one of the IDPs, said the decision to evacuate was a difficult one. “Nagsakit man gud ang akong bana, maong wala nalang mi ni bakwit, pero namatay man siya adtong December 17, nya adtong naa nay nangadto na mga pulis nga nanguha para mobakwit, maong niuban mi (My husband was sick, so we did not evacuate, but he died on December 17, then the police came to evacuate us, so we went with them),” narrated Melissa. Other families had similar reasons for delaying their evacuation, highlighting the challenges faced by those living in the shadow of the volcano.

“Karon nga naa mi diri sa evacuation camp, safe nami. Gihatag man sad tanan sa goberno samtang naa pami ani na sitwasyon (Now that we are in the evacuation camp, we are safe. The government provides us everything while we are still in this situation),” said Arnold Prado, head of one the additional IDFs in camp 2

The additional families each received sleeping kits, hygiene kits, and boxes of family food packs which will be deposited in the community kitchen for their breakfast.  These Sleeping Kits includes Pillow case, Pillow, mosquito net, blanket and sleeping mat, Hygiene kit includes, toothbrush, toothpaste, bath soap and laundry soap, chamber pot. and water dipper. These items are provided to them once upon their transfer in the evacuation camp, since most of the families are only bringing enough items from their homes.

As Mt. Kanlaon continues to emit ash, the DSWD, PLGU Negros Oriental, and the City Government of Canlaon jointly provided support to these families in the camps and ensured their safety.

As of January 18, 2024, the DSWD has distributed 22,930 Family Food Packs and 5,622 non-food items to the IDFs. ###

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