By Xander Ledesma
Farming activities will be permitted within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone of Mt. Kanlaon following a recent amendment to the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) resolution, according to Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 6 head Raul Fernandez.
The amendment, passed on October 24, designates the area as a Strict Protection Zone, typically restricting all human activities, including habitation and farming. However, based on recommendations from the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (RDRRMO), the amended resolution now allows farming, specifically fruit tree cultivation, while strictly prohibiting residency.
Fernandez noted that this declaration provides a legal basis for seeking national government support to relocate the 50 to 60 households still residing in the danger zone. La Castellana Mayor Rhumyla Mangilimutan has identified a three-hectare site in Barangay Manghanoy as a potential relocation area for affected families, Fernandez added.