La carlota city: The Halad kay Kang-Laon Festival returns for its seventh year this week, highlighting the importance of protecting the Mt. Kanlaon Natural Park (MKNP), the site of Kanlaon Volcano and one of Negros Island's richest biodiversity strongholds.
According to Philippines News Agency, this year's festival marks the 25th year of Republic Act (RA) 9154, otherwise known as the MKNP Act, which was signed into law on August 11, 2001. On Monday, La Carlota City hosted the kick-off ceremony at the public plaza, with five other local government units surrounding the MKNP - San Carlos City, Bago City, La Castellana, and Murcia in Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.
In his message, Mayor Jose Luis Jalandoni stated that the Halad kay Kang-Laon Festival is not just a cultural celebration, but also an active environmental protection initiative. 'This festival is more than a cherished cultural tradition. It is a powerful expression of our collective commitment to protect, preserve, and honor the natural environment that Almighty God has entrusted to our care,' he added.
After the festivity was suspended last year due to volcanic eruptions, the 2026 edition, themed 'Celebrating Nature, Protecting Our Future,' focuses on various local actions such as tree-planting drives, community cleanups, waste management campaigns, and youth environmental education. MKNP OIC-park operations superintendent Philip Lechoncito shared that after the series of eruptions in the past year, Kanlaon's surrounding forests and communities have already shown remarkable recovery.
'We must protect this mountain so that this blessed nature can be passed down to future generations. They deserve to inherit a healthy, green, and living mountain - not a wasteland,' Lechoncito said. RA 9154 declares Mt. Kanla-on to be a protected area, under the category of a natural park pursuant to the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, and specifies the boundaries of the area. The law further establishes a buffer zone for the exploration, development, and utilization of geothermal resources.
MKNP is considered an important source of water supply on Negros Island, with its watershed area feeding three river systems, including the Bago, Nahalin, and Binalbagan river systems.
