• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Another batch of 369 families, composed of 1,250 individuals, in the barangays of Cabagna-an and Sag-ang in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, have returned to their respective homes, according to an official of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.
MDRRMO chief John de Asis yesterday said that those allowed to go home are those residing outside the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone of Kanlaon volcano.
Kanlaon volcano, which appears to remain calm for now, has logged zero volcanic quakes as of June 21. However, Alert Level 2 remains in effect.
De Asis said another batch of 170 families, composed of 565 individuals in Brgy. Biak Na Bato, also in La Castellana, are also being prepared for return to their respective homes.
As of yesterday, de Asis reported that there are less than 1,000 individuals staying at the three evacuation centers in La Castellana.
Thirty families were also discovered to be still residing within the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone in barangays of Biak Na Bato, Masulog and Cabagna-an in La Castellana, Negros Occidental.
Almost 5,000 residents of La Castellana were affected by the ashfall, sulfuric odor, and lahar flow, following the June 3 phreatic eruption of Kanlaon volcano.
As of June 20, the Department of Social Welfare and Development reported that it has distributed P26 million in various assistance to 1,598 beneficiaries.
A total of 1,386 families also received financial aid of P10,000 each, under the DSWD Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.
La Castellana Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan has expressed support for the recommendation of the Office of the Civil Defense 6 that those residing in the permanent danger zone should be relocated.*
