NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — As volcanic activity of Mount Kanlaon escalates, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is considering expanding the permanent danger zone (PDZ) beyond its current 6-kilometer radius due to the ongoing risks of ash emissions, pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), and lahar flows.
Raul Fernandez, director of the Office of Civil Defense and chairperson of Task Force Kanlaon, said on Monday, December 23, that authorities are closely monitoring the situation. Should volcanic activity intensify further, they are considering extending the danger zone to 10 kilometers and potentially escalating the alert level to 4.
The evacuation efforts since December 9 have seen over 24,000 residents from La Castellana, La Carlota City, Bago City, San Carlos City, Murcia, Pontevedra, Moises Padilla in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental seeking shelter in evacuation centers.
The Office of the President has allocated an additional P70 million to the OCD to reinforce its QRF, after several Local Government Units (LGUs) expressed worries about their depleting Quick Response Funds (QRFs).
The LGUs have been pushed to their limits as they struggle with stretched budgets following the phreatic explosion on June 3. Now, with the aftermath of the December 9 eruption and continued volcanic activity, the strain on their financial resources is becoming more evident.
Fernandez also noted that Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro had requested additional funding from the Office of the President to address the escalating crisis. The OCD estimates approximately P500 million to sustain operations for the next three weeks.
Mari Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist at the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory, reported that at 11:45 a.m. on Monday, December 23, Mount Kanlaon emitted a dark ash plume rising about 1.2 kilometers, accompanied by weak, low-frequency volcanic earthquakes. The ash plume drifted northwest, triggering sirens to alert nearby communities in Murcia and Bago City, where ashfall was expected.
Quintia warned that while other volcanic parameters remain elevated, the risks of PDCs and lahar flows remain high.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson expressed concern over the estimated 3 million cubic meters of lahar deposits on Kanlaon’s slopes, emphasizing the danger posed by heavy rainfall, which could trigger lahar flows and worsen conditions.
Lacson urged LGUs to prepare for the worst and ensure evacuation protocols are in place, as authorities may expand the danger zone if necessary.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has maintained Alert Level 3 over Mount Kanlaon, signaling magmatic unrest. This level indicates an increased likelihood of sudden, explosive eruptions, which could endanger nearby communities.
PHIVOLCS reiterated that all communities within a 6-kilometer radius of the summit must remain evacuated due to the risk of PDCs, ballistic projectiles, ashfall, lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards.
The OCD is expanding its efforts to include 14 LGUs that may be at risk of such flows. If a lahar flow coincides with an eruption, the agency disclosed that the number of affected individuals could rise to 60,000 in La Castellana alone.
To accommodate evacuees should the activity worsen, the OCD has established additional evacuation centers in Himamaylan City, with a capacity of up to 10,000 people. Kabankalan City is also prepared to house remaining internally displaced persons (IDPs) if needed.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) confirmed that all residents within the 6-kilometer danger zone have been evacuated as a precaution, spending holidays in various evacuation centers. — BNFM KABANKALAN
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.