DENR permit sought for urgent lahar clearing

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD CITY — The Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park has approved a resolution requesting authority from Environment Secretary Raphael Lotilla to allow Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson to issue a special permit for the clearing of lahar sediments at Ibid Creek in Sitio Tamburong, Barangay Biak-na-Bato.

Lacson earlier announced plans to engage commercial contractors to expedite the removal of volcanic debris from the creek.

He cited the limited capacity of equipment from the provincial government and the municipality of La Castellana.

Lacson, who attended the PAMB meeting presided over by Charlie Fabre, Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) regional director for the Negros Island Region, said the authority will help fast-track the clearing of an estimated 25,189 cubic meters of volcanic sediments, based on Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) reports as of Sept. 24.

He reiterated that government-owned equipment is not sufficient to handle the volume of materials, emphasizing the need for private contractor assistance.

The extracted sand, stone, and molding stones will be managed by the provincial government and used for rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in La Castellana.

Lacson added that contractors will be required to pay extraction fees, similar to quarry operations, although limited strictly to lahar removal.

The MGB earlier recommended relocating lahar stockpiles to designated areas to prevent erosion and remobilization during heavy rainfall.

It also advised residents living near Ibid Creek to evacuate during flood threats due to the high risk of lahar flows.

The special authority would also empower the governor to manage the utilization of the extracted materials for reconstruction and disaster recovery in the municipality.

Lacson emphasized that the arrangement will not be for commercial gain but strictly for public infrastructure and safety purposes.

He clarified that extraction fees will be collected by the provincial government and used for local development, as in regular quarry operations.

Due to persistent flooding and lahar flow events that threaten nearby communities, the MGB reiterated its call for residents — except disaster response personnel — to evacuate during forecast heavy rains.

The Office of Civil Defense–Negros Island Region (OCD-NIR) has also recommended the preemptive evacuation of residents in Sitio Tamburong, Barangay Biak-na-Bato, in case of intense rainfall.

On Friday morning, La Castellana Mayor Añejo G. Nicor personally supervised clearing operations on a road section in Barangay Biak-na-Bato after floodwaters from Ibid Creek deposited volcanic debris and rendered the road impassable.

La Castellana Information Officer Remuel Lajo said heavy equipment from both the provincial and municipal governments was deployed to remove sand, rocks, and other volcanic materials from Kanlaon Volcano that were blocking traffic.

He also reported that the banks of Ibid Creek had weakened due to heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Opong.