Residents outside Kanlaon danger zone allowed to go home

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Displaced residents outside Kanlaon Volcano's 4-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone in La Castellana town in Negros Occidental were allowed back to their homes as the volcano appears to remain calm.

John de Asis, La Castellana Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office head, said they have allowed 369 families – composed of 1,250 individuals – to return to their respective residences beginning Thursday.

Another 170 families, composed of 565 individuals, would follow suit, de Asis added.

Although Alert Level 2 remains in effect, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology logged zero volcanic quake at Kanlaon as of yesterday.

De Asis said there are less than 1,000 individuals staying at the town’s three evacuation centers. Almost 5,000 residents were affected by ashfall, sulfuric odor and lahar flow following the June 3 phreatic eruption of the volcano.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development has distributed P26 million worth of various assistance to 1,598 beneficiaries, as of Thursday. A total of 1,386 families also received P10,000 each, under the DSWD  Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.

La Castellana Mayor Alme Rhummyla Nicor Mangilimutan expressed her support to the recommendation of the Office of the Civil Defense in Region 6 that those residing in the permanent danger zone should be relocated.