President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has created a national task force to respond to the ongoing volcanic unrest at Mt. Kanlaon, aiming to bolster disaster response and long-term recovery efforts for affected communities.
Under Administrative Order No. 32, signed April 24, Mr. Marcos established the National Task Force Kanlaon to coordinate the government’s response to the eruption, which has displaced tens of thousands and caused major agricultural losses across the Negros Island Region.
The task force will oversee planning and execution of recovery, rehabilitation and resettlement initiatives, and will be chaired by the Department of National Defense.
Key agencies, including the Department of Science and Technology, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Public Works and Highways, and Department of Social Welfare and Development, will serve as members. The Office of Civil Defense will act as the task force’s secretariat.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has maintained Alert Level 3 at Mt. Kanlaon since last December, citing increased volcanic activity.
As of this month, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reports that the eruption has affected more than 12,000 families—or over 48,500 individuals—and caused at least P129 million in agricultural losses.
The task force’s creation aligns with the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 and the Mt. Kanlaon National Park Act of 2001, reinforcing the government’s commitment to disaster preparedness, ecological protection and public safety.
