Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian flew to Negros Island today to check on the situation of evacuees in the cities of Bago and La Carlota and the Municipality of La Castellana.

DSWD Field Office 6 – Western Visayas Regional Director Arwin Razo earlier reported to Secretary Gatchalian that La Castellana has the most number of evacuees since its residents were within the 6-kilometer radius which was declared a danger zone by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS).

“Per feedback Sec, families were evacuated especially in high areas communities of Negros Occidental especially in the cities of La Carlota and Bago and La Castellana town. Wala pong recorded another eruption,” FO-6 Director told the DSWD chief.

DSWD Field Office 7 – Central Visayas Regional Director Shalaine Sun-Lucero reported that on the side of Canlaon City in Negros Oriental, 50 families are currently staying in two evacuation centers after the eruption of Kanlaon Volcano.

The DSWD’s Visayas Disaster Resource Center (VDRC) in Mandaue City, Cebu is now busy producing 5,000 family food packs (FFPs) bound for Negros Oriental.

This will serve as additional stockpile to the prepositioned FFPs in Guihulngan Warehouse in Negros Oriental which is managed by FO-7.#