THE City Government of Himamaylan is now planning to provide an additional 400 family tents at tent city in Sitio Binging, Barangay 3, in anticipation of a potential eruption of Mount Kanlaon.
Mayor Raymund Tongson said that as of March 12, the installed 300 family tents in Sitio Binging are still unoccupied because of the good situation of the Mount Kanlaon.
“We are praying that Mount Kanlaon will maintain its good condition,” he said.
Should Mount Kanlaon’s alert level rise to Level 4, Sitio Binging in Barangay 3 will serve as the evacuation center.
Himamaylan City has been designated as the primary tent city. The construction of the tents was facilitated by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) with support from the City Government.
Of the planned 390 family tents, 300 have already been set up, along with three communal toilet and bath areas and three water tanks.
Tongson said he already talked with La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan and they discussed the possibility to increase the number of tents to accommodate the affected residents of a whole barangay.
“We are trying to look for an area adjacent to the tent city for the installation of an additional 400 family tents,” he said.
He added that in the case of La Castelana town, in one barangay, they are eyeing at least 700 affected families.
Tongson said the entire plan of the OCD with the City Government of Himamaylan and other agencies is to build a community for the affected residents.
Earlier, OCD 6 identified the cities of Bago, La Carlota and Himamaylan and the towns of Pontevedra, Pulupandan, San Enrique, Valladolid, Binalbagan, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana and Moises Padilla as areas most affected by Mt. Kanlaon eruption.
All these LGUs were also considered at risk for potential lahar flows based on the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) hazard map. (MAP)