Bacolod City – Residents of communities affected by the Kanlaon eruption have started to receive rice subsidies from the Office of Civil Defense, Donato Sermeno III, OCD regional director for Negros Island Region, disclosed yesterday.
Sermeno said that of the 695 sacks of rice that came from the National Food Authority, 100 sacks were already delivered to La Carlota City, while 310 sacks are up for delivery to La Castellana.
Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan disclosed on Friday that Negros Occidental 2nd District Rep. Alfredo Marañon III also gave 100 sacks of rice to La Castellana.
Evacuation centers in Bago City, Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City, Negros Oriental, will also get their share of rice for their respective evacuees.
While he cannot give an estimate for how long it will take for the rice subsidy to be consumed, Sermeno assured the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of regular assistance from OCD.
According to data provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, 1,766 families or 5,657 individuals, are temporarily staying in 14 evacuation centers in Negros Occidental, on top of 2,553 families or 8,302 individuals who are living with relatives or friends outside of evacuation centers.
Nicor disclosed that the third wave of feeding by the provincial government for 1,362 families, composed of 4,424 persons in La Castellana will resume today.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier disclosed that funds for feeding will be sourced from the P50 million given by the Office of the President to Negros Occidental.
“This time, we included rice in the feeding,” Lacson said, noting that in two previous feeding programs of the provincial government, the local government units provided the rice during the delivery of food to evacuees. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds)