49,577 students displaced by Kanlaon eruption

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — Up to 49,577 students from 88 schools on Negros Island have been affected by the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano, according to the Department of Education.

DepEd records showed the students shifted to alternative delivery modes (ADM) of education, with 31,935 and 17,642 learners placed under the Schools Divisions of Negros Occidental and La Carlota City, respectively.

The ADM is a flexible way of providing basic education to students who may not be able to access traditional schooling, the DepEd said.

Both Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental are under a state of calamity.

The office of the Department of Health on Negros Island Region reported that there are 4,325 families composed of 13,920 people staying in 34 evacuation centers in Bago, La Carlota, La Castellana and San Carlos in Negros Occidental as well as Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.

Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said there is a possibility that the evacuees would stay longer in evacuation centers.

It has been three weeks since Kanlaon erupted on Dec. 9.

Lacson said the volcano continued to be restive and ash emissions appeared to be frequent in the past several days.

He expressed concern for the health of the evacuees.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has expressed support for the “Plan Exodus” of the city government of Canlaon should volcanic activities escalate.

DSWD-Central Visayas chief Shalane Lucero gave assurance that the agency has adequate food and non-food items for distribution to affected people.

Lucero said 40,122 boxes of family food packs and 8,948 non-food items have been prepositioned across Negros Island.

“Plan Exodus” will be activated in case Alert Level 4 is hoisted over Kanlaon.

The plan will require forced evacuation of residents living within a 14-kilometer radius of the volcano.

The towns of Ayungon, La Libertad, Tayasan and Vallehermoso as well as  Guihulngan City will open their evacuation centers to victims of Kanlaon. –Gilbert Bayoran, Sheila Crisostomo, Michael Punongbayan