The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Wednesday said local government units (LGUs) and the national government have to prepare and sustain a long-term plan for a major eruption of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros island.

Mariton Bornas, Phivolcs’ chief of the Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division, said in an interview here that the awaited major eruption of Mt. Kanlaon cannot be foretold, but it will happen.

“The major eruption that we expect could happen anytime from now, but it could also take years, and so there is a need to prepare for what we call the long haul,” Bornas said in mixed English and Filipino.

She cited Mayon Volcano, which erupted after about a year of unrest, while a volcano in another country, which she did not identify, took about 10 years before a major eruption happened.

“Luckily, we have a fast response from the LGUs and the DRRMCs (Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils) and with the help of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., they have already identified permanent relocation or evacuation sites,” Bornas said.

Other contingency measures are already in place as well, but more can still be done, she added.

Until that major magmatic eruption occurs, Kanlaon’s continued unrest would mean that internally displaced persons (IDPs) will be staying longer at evacuation centers.

This would be “their normal” life, which will also have major implications on their livelihood until the volcano’s period of unrest is over, the Phivolcs official said.

Beginning Wednesday, the Regional Task Force Kanlaon suspended indefinitely entry into the volcano’s extended 6-km. danger zone due to events in recent days that may be “precursors” to another eruption.

This means that evacuees who live in the danger zone are not allowed to visit their homes and check on their farms and livestock within the 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. window until further notice.

Bornas is in this Negros Oriental provincial capital since Tuesday to speak at the Training on Communicating Volcano, Earthquake, and Tsunami Hazards for Junior High School Teachers, as a resource person.

Sponsored by the Department of Science and Technology-Phivolcs in cooperation with the Department of Education, the training was also attended by Phivolcs Director, Dr. Teresito Bacolcol, who gave the welcome message. (PNA)