Bishops and Caritas to help people displaced by Kanlaon eruption
Located on Negros Island, Kanlaon is one of the country’s 24 active volcanoes along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Its eruption has led to the evacuation of more than 84,000 people. A blanket of ash and gas fell within a radius of 3 kilometres. Government and dioceses are helping evacuees. For Bishop Alminaza of San Carlos, vice president of Caritas, “we need to support each other”. Lamentably, “We have not been good guardians of nature.”
Manila (AsiaNews) – The eruption on 9 December of Mount Kanlaon, on Negros Island in the central Philippines, is the strongest the country has experienced in recent years, resulting in the displacement of more than 84,000 people.
While the government is working to provide temporary shelter for the displaced, Caritas has mobilised to provide aid to displaced communities in the Diocese of San Carlos and neighbouring dioceses.
Such moments of difficulty serve to “witness our faith, show our love for one another and affirm our mission to truly care for our common home,” said Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos.
Mount Kanlaon is one of the country's 24 active volcanoes and has erupted over 40 times since 1866. It is located within the Pacific Ring of Fire, and highlights the Philippines’ exposure to this as well as other natural disasters.
Kanlaon threw out a deadly spurt of hot ash, gas and fragmented volcanic rock about three kilometres down the mountain’s southeastern flank.
Government officials said that while there were no casualties, the ash cloud obscured visibility and created a potential health risk. Following the event, the authorities and government agencies began to help those affected.
Bishop Alminaza, who is also vice president of Caritas Philippines, urged Catholics and all Filipinos to express solidarity and provide aid to people in need.
“We need to pray for people and help them,” said Alminaza, adding that those affected need access to drinking water, food parcels and medicines. “It is a trying time for all; we need to support each other,” he added.
The eruption was also an opportunity to highlight the responsibilities of human negligence towards the environment.
“We confess our sins against you and against Your creation. We have not been good guardians of nature. Nature suffers from our injustice and indifference,” Bishop Alminaza said in a statement.
“Typhoons, floods, volcanic eruptions, and other natural disasters are occurring in increasing numbers and intensity. Let us pray and invoke the protection of the Most High,” the statement went onto read.
For his part, Bishop Ruperto Cruz Santos of Antipolo called on the faithful to pray for those affected by the natural disaster.
According to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the government is making concerted efforts to evacuate people from a six-kilometre radius danger zone.
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMC) is providing immediate help to people and is constantly monitoring the situation.
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