ILOILO — The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) announced on Tuesday that efforts are ongoing to establish a 4-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) around Mt. Kanlaon, following its recent eruption.
According to Philippines News Agency, the demarcation involves installing metal poles with flags along the identified points of the PDZ. The OCD is collaborating with the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to ensure accurate placement of the danger zone’s boundaries.
Fernandez noted that the OCD is also working with local government units in Negros Occidental, particularly in La Castellana and Kanlaon City, to plan the potential relocation of residents living within the PDZ. La Castellana has already identified 83 households that may be displaced, but the number is expected to be higher in Kanlaon City.
A joint meeting with the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council of Central Visayas and relevant housing and relocation agencies is being planned to address these issues. “It takes a whole-of-government approach to relocate the affected families,” Fernandez emphasized.
Local government units in Negros Occidental are also regularly updating their contingency plans and conducting simulation exercises to prepare for possible volcanic activity.