OCD-6 Eyes Container Homes for Kanlaon Evacuees

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

The Office of Civil Defense in Western Visayas (OCD-6) is planning to replace temporary tent shelters with more durable container-based “smart houses” for families displaced by the ongoing unrest of Kanlaon Volcano.

OCD-6 Director Raul Fernandez said the tent shelters are deteriorating after more than eight months of exposure to the elements following the volcano’s eruption.

“We are planning to provide a kind of smart house—our container—to replace our tents because the tents that we provide are just temporary structures to facilitate the evacuation,” he said.

“Our operations in Kanlaon are prolonged because the volcano’s movement is erratic. The tent structures that we provided are not for long-term use. Some are already damaged due to exposure to elements,” he added.

Fernandez noted this will be the first time container-based shelters will be used in the region’s disaster response, offering a more resilient option for prolonged evacuations.

Currently, more than 3,000 families remain in evacuation centers in ashfall-affected areas, with evacuation efforts ongoing in Bago City, La Carlota City, and La Castellana.

Fernandez said they have already identified relocation sites for displaced families.

In Negros Occidental, the site will be in Barangay Talaptap, La Castellana.

For those from Negros Oriental, it will be in Barangay Binalbagan, Canlaon City.

He added that the government is finalizing the Kanlaon Rehabilitation and Development Plan to offer long-term solutions for affected communities.

Fernandez also noted that many local government units have already exhausted their funds.

Coordination is ongoing with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Budget and Management to fast-track the release of financial aid.

He added that since the Negros Island Region has yet to become fully operational due to budgetary limitations, OCD-6 continues to lead the task force managing the Kanlaon response.

Changes in leadership may occur in 2026 when the region becomes fully functional.