By Xander Ledesma
The municipality of La Castellana in Negros Occidental has set aside 1.7 hectares of land to establish a relocation site and evacuation center for residents displaced by the ongoing volcanic activity of Mt. Kanlaon. The volcano, which remains under Alert Level 2 following an explosive eruption in June 2024, has placed at least six villages at risk, with residents in the 4-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) unable to return to their homes.
As of Wednesday, 10 families, nearly 40 individuals, are currently staying at a covered court in Barangay Masulog, provided with daily food and shelter by the local government. Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan confirmed that the land, located in Barangay Manghanoy, is part of a property previously acquired under the municipality’s land banking program.
The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development will support the construction of homes for the affected families, and the local government is seeking further assistance from the national government for an evacuation center. Additionally, the relocation site is near a sanitary landfill, where displaced residents will be trained for work opportunities.
To enhance safety, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources recently began marking the 4-km. radius PDZ with flags to prevent unauthorized access, and the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has recommended declaring this zone a strict protection area (SPZ) to limit human activity and protect residents from further risk.