Task Force Kanlaon seeks P1B for evacuation centers with decent classrooms

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President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visits evacuees and expresses concern for children whose education has been disrupted as a result of the Kanlaon Volcano threat

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines – The Task Force Kanlaon on Monday, February 24, asked P1 billion from the national government to build permanent evacuation centers with enough decent classrooms in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental, as authorities faced an education crisis caused by the Kanlaon Volcano eruptions.

The call for more funding came days after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited 1,500 evacuees in La Carlota City on Friday, February 21, where he expressed concern not only for the displaced residents but also for pupils whose education has been disrupted for two months as a result of the Kanlaon threat.

Several schools in La Castellana town and La Carlota City in Negros Occidental, as well as Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, are being used as evacuation centers, forcing students into alternative learning arrangements.

MAPPING. Task Force Kanlaon head Raul Fernandez checks a map for potential sites for permanent evacuation centers in La Castellana, Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City, Negros Oriental. courtesy of La Castellana PIO

Marcos directed local officials and government agencies to formulate both short- and long-term plans to address the displacement of residents and the impact on schools.

Task Force Kanlaon head Raul Fernandez said the proposed centers, planned for La Castellana and Canlaon City, would include classrooms to minimize disruptions to students’ education. Each location requires at least P500 million, he said.

“These permanent evacuation centers will include classroom setups to ensure learners continue their education despite the crisis,” Fernandez told Rappler.

However, the facilities will be designated only for residents from areas outside the four- to six-kilometer danger zone of Kanlaon Volcano. Those within the danger zone will be permanently relocated.

Canlaon Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas has identified a site for the city’s proposed evacuation center, while La Castellana Mayor Rhummyla Nicor-Mangilimutan said her town also has a designated location.

Mangilimutan said the La Castellana town government is working with the Department of Education (DepEd) to mitigate the education crisis. 

Six public schools in the town remain occupied by over 4,000 evacuees, and since December 2024, classes have shifted to online and modular learning.

DepEd’s Negros Occidental division has set up temporary tent classrooms at La Castellana Central Elementary School for 441 pupils from Cabanag-an Elementary School and Mananawin Elementary School, both located within the extended six-kilometer danger zone.

The Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) provided tents, each accommodating 18 students per two-hour session. Classes began on February 17, with teachers holding sessions twice a week, supplemented by modular learning.

Fernandez said more tents could be provided if needed.

In La Carlota, the city government has designated an evacuation center and La Carlota City College as shelters for its 1,500 evacuees.

Bago Mayor Nicholas Yulo said their city faces no similar issues, as evacuees have been relocated to a designated site in Barangay Napoles, allowing schools to resume normal operations.

Marcos also instructed officials to find permanent relocation sites for 84 families living within the four-kilometer permanent danger zone – 36 in La Castellana and 48 in Canlaon City. These families will not be allowed to return to their homes, Fernandez said.

“The President wants us to find a place where these evacuees can be permanently relocated,” he said.

During his visit, Marcos gave evacuees cash aid and food packs in La Carlota. He also signed a deed of donation for P50 million each to the provincial governments of Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental. The funds, allocated in December, had been delayed due to administrative processing but will now be used to provide daily meals for evacuees in La Castellana, Bago, and La Carlota.

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the province presently takes care of 1,700 families across La Castellana, La Carlota, and Bago.

Canlaon City in Negros Oriental has 600 families in various evacuation centers.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) recorded three volcanic earthquakes on Sunday, February 23 alone, and 1,993 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions and continued swelling of the volcano. – Rappler.com