Marcos: Gov’t ready to assist Kanlaon victims

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday ensured that the government is ready to assist those affected by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.

Marcos said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has already assured him that it is ready to provide necessary resources.

“So yes, we are ready to support the families, who have been evacuated outside the 6-km danger zone,” Marcos said.

He added that the distribution of food packs to affected families has already started.

In its bulletin on Tuesday, PHIVOLCS said the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Monday lasted 3 minutes and 55 seconds.

Pyroclastic density currents traveled around 2 to 3.4 kilometers from the crater.

Around 87,000 residents in the areas surrounding Mount Kanlaon were evacuated on Monday, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).

“The gravity of the situation is particularly acute in La Castellana, where an estimated 46,900 individuals are within the 4-6 km danger zone. Authorities are focusing on Barangay Sag-ang due to prevailing westward wind directions, which pose additional risks from ashfall,” the OCD said in a statement. 

“In preparation for the worst-case scenario, Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City has been designated as the primary evacuation center, with the capacity to accommodate up to 30,000 evacuees,” the agency also said.

PHIVOLCS said Kanlaon Volcano may have a hazardous eruption in the following weeks.

“Ang Alert Level 3 po ay nangangahulugan ng posibilidad na magkaroon ng hazardous eruption in the following weeks,” PHIVOLCS chief Teresito Bacolcol told Unang Balita in an interview.

(Alert Level 3 means there is a possibility of a hazardous eruption in the following weeks.)

--VAL, GMA Integrated News