Negros Oriental to give P5,000 aid to Canlaon families

The Negros Oriental provincial government will provide PHP5,000 in financial aid to each family in Canlaon City affected by the Mt. Kanlaon eruption, with distribution scheduled for January.

Governor Manuel Sagarbarria stated that the provincial government cannot yet utilize its quick reaction fund without a formal declaration of a state of calamity, requiring at least two LGUs to declare it first.

Canlaon City has been under a state of calamity since the volcano's eruption on June 3.

The total government aid provided to families affected by the Mt. Kanlaon eruption has exceeded P7.3 million, including P6.43 million in Western Visayas and P883,658.51 for Central Visayas.

The eruption has affected 11,791 families, equivalent to 40,489 persons, across 26 barangays in Western and Central Visayas.

As of the latest report, 4,612 families are sheltering in 27 evacuation centers, while 677 families are receiving aid outside these centers.

Negros Occidental remains the hardest-hit area, with a significant number of families displaced.

The DSWD has prepositioned family food packs nationwide and is prepared for prolonged restiveness of Mt. Kanlaon.

Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol stated that they are monitoring the volcano's activity under Alert Level 3, with a potential raise to Alert Level 4 which would expand the permanent danger zone.