Canlaon city: The local government of Canlaon City in Negros Oriental province has shifted roles in managing evacuation camps for displaced residents affected by the eruption of Mt. Kanlaon. Edna Lhou Masicampo, Canlaon City public information officer, told the Philippine News Agency on Wednesday that the city's Incident Command System (ICS) has been demobilized effective Tuesday and has shifted to barangay-level management.

According to Philippines News Agency, Masicampo said the transition is due to the role of the barangay to manage the internally displaced persons (IDPs) as stated in Section 12 of RA 10121, wherein barangays are mandated to establish their Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Committee under the Barangay Development Council. She clarified that this does not indicate a calming of the situation in Canlaon City due to the active volcano. The city is now adopting a support role through continuous guidance, coordination, and monitoring.

With this latest development, the barangays will now supervise and manage the daily operations of the evacuation camps and the IDPs wherever they are residing. About 745 families, equivalent to 2,397 individuals, are in evacuation centers at various locations including JBCMHS-Main Campus, Masulog Covered Court, and others. The IDPs fled their homes from the 6-km Permanent Danger Zone of Mt. Kanlaon after its eruption on Dec. 9, 2024, and have since stayed in evacuation camps or with relatives.

Government agencies continue to provide resources, such as food packs from the regional social welfare office and hygiene kits from the Department of Health and the Office of Civil Defense. These are coursed through the city's Emergency Operations Center, as stated by Masicampo.