At least PHP2.782 billion in standby funds and relief stockpile are being prepared by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as response to the ongoing threat of Mt. Kanlaon eruption in Negros Island.

In a report on Wednesday, the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC) said standby inventory includes standby funds of PHP45.676 million; family food packs (FFPs) worth PHP1.715 billion; and other food and non-food items (FNIs) worth PHP1.021 billion.

“As of Feb. 12, Kanlaon Volcano remains under Alert Level 3, which means there are increased chances for sudden and even stronger explosive eruptions to occur and endanger communities at risk with life-threatening volcanic hazards,” the report said.

Currently, 2,760 families or 8,803 persons are taking shelter in 23 evacuation centers after the explosive eruption of Mt. Kanlaon last Dec. 9.

These include 1,769 families or 5,636 persons from the cities of Bago, La Carlota and San Carlos, as well as the municipality of La Castellana, all n Negros Occidental.

La Castellana, with about six villages located at the foot of Mt. Kanlaon, is the worst-hit local government unit (LGU), hosting 1,362 families or 4,264 persons in various evacuation centers.

In Negros Oriental, 991 families or 3,167 persons are staying in evacuation centers in Canlaon City.

Based on the DROMIC report, the standby funds of PHP45.676 million include PHP3.3 million quick response fund available at the DSWD Central Office; PHP3 million with the DSWD-Western Visayas; and PHP39.37 million in other DSWD field offices (FOs), which may support the relief needs of the families affected by the eruption through inter-FO augmentation.

The prepositioned FFPs and other relief items comprise 452,138 FFPs stockpiled in disaster response centers, of which 218,156 FFPs are available the National Resource Operations Center (NROC) in Pasay City and 233,982 FFPs, at the Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City.

Also, 272,450 FFPs are on-hand at the DSWD FOs in Western Visayas and Central Visayas, as well 1,615,159 more FFPs in other DSWD FOs.

The PHP1.021 billion worth of other NFIs are available at the NROC, VDRC, and DSWD FO warehouses.

As of Feb. 12, the DROMIC report also showed that some PHP149.999 million worth of assistance has been provided to the affected families, including those from the DSWD, PHP9.439 million; LGUs, PHP16.412 million; non-government organizations, PHP32.691 million; and other partners, PHP8.456 million. (PNA)