Bacolod City – After staying at evacuation centers for more than eight months, the remaining 61 families, who were temporarily dislocated by the Kanlaon Volcano eruption on December 9 last year, yesterday returned to their respective homes in Sitio Guintubdan, Barangay Ara-al, La Carlota, Negros Occidental.
The internally displaced persons (IDPs) composed of 225 individuals were given GI sheets to replace the roofs of their houses which were damaged by ash fall, and P1,800 in financial assistance for each of the returning households, disclosed Mayor Jose Luis Jalandoni.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development – Negros Island Region and the La Carlota Quick Response Team helped the IDPs return to their respective homes, as allowed by the Office of Civil Defense, after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology downgraded the unrest status of Kanlaon Volcano from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2.
Twenty-two families, composed of 81 individuals, who were also displaced by the Kanlaon Volcano eruption, are returning home on August 16 at Purok Manokan in Brgy. Ilijan, Bago City, on Thursday disclosed Dr. Merijene Ortizo, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head.
The dislocated families have been staying at the evacuation center in Brgy. Napoles, Bago City.
With the concurrence of the Bago City Council and the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, Ortizo said that Mayor Marina “Mayette” Javellana-Yao will give P10,000 financial assistance each to the 22 returning families, aside from the painted galvanized sheet roofing materials.
“They need to rebuild their lives back,” Ortizo said, noting that the IDPs stayed in evacuation centers for more than eight months.
Mayor Javellana-Yao will also initiate a “Bayanihan” activity, a volunteer effort to help the displaced residents repair their damaged houses, she added.
Two weeks ago, about 4,000 IDPs in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, who reside outside of the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone, have also vacated the evacuation centers.
However, there are still 19 families in Canlaon City who are still in evacuation centers, and 61 other families in La Castellana. Those individuals are primarily those whose homes were within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone of Kanlaon Volcano. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds photo by tvds)