The Negros Occidental provincial government is looking at long-term solutions to address the concerns brought by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon as thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) have remained in evacuation centers for more than three weeks now.

Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II said on Friday that the province will use the PHP50-million financial assistance granted by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to put in place the identified solutions.

“For us not to worry how to provide for the daily meals of the evacuees. We can place them in farm lots in relocation areas. Together with the governor (Eugenio Jose Lacson), we are looking for sustainable solutions to the evacuation concerns,” he said in a radio interview.

Diaz said after the province received the amount on Dec. 26, they proceeded to process the deed of donation.

“We are having it approved by the Provincial Board and then signed by the governor. The Office of the President will also sign it. Only then we can utilize the national fund,” he added.

Diaz said instead of using the amount for food supply and financial aid, the province would rather utilize the fund for long-term solutions to ensure sustainable benefits for the affected Negrenses.

After the explosive eruption on Dec. 9, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the volcano’s alert level to 3, indicating that “magmatic eruption has begun and may progress to further explosive eruptions,” prompting the evacuation of residents within the extended six-kilometer radius permanent danger zone (PDZ).

“We hope that our meeting with the local government units (LGUs) can come up with solutions acceptable to the residents. To avoid evacuation when an eruption happens, we need interventions that are long-term,” Diaz said.

He said they have asked the mayors to develop farm lots where residents within the four-kilometer radius PDZ can be relocated and where even those within the six-kilometer radius PDZ can also be accommodated.

La Castellana town, the worst-affected LGU, has 14 evacuation centers, while Bago City and La Carlota City have seven each, where more than 8,000 IDPs are staying, based on the data of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.

With the depleting funds of the three most-affected LGUs, the provincial government stepped in by setting up 20 community kitchens to feed 10,000 IDPs, camp managers, volunteers, peacekeepers and social workers daily for 14 days until Jan. 6.

Diaz said that with a budget of PHP50 per head, they spend about PHP1 million a day to provide nutritious meals during lunch and dinner.

Aside from providing meals, the province delivers potable water supply in the evacuation centers and provides gasoline supply to the LGUs, he added.

“By the end of the 14-day program, we will discontinue the provision of meals. The Department of Social Welfare and Development has food packs delivered to the evacuation centers. We also appealed to the mayors to take over again,” Diaz said. (PNA)