Comelec sets contingency plans if Kanlaon erupts during polls
BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) in the Negros Island Region (NIR) has started preparing its contingency plans should a massive eruption occur at Mt. Kanlaon leading to or during the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.
Lionel Marco Castillano, the Comelec NIR regional director, said in an interview on Nov. 14 that their security and safety assessment so far only concerned the restive state of Mt. Kanlaon, which straddles several localities in Negros Occidental and Negros Oriental.
He explained there were no security problems from private armed groups and communist rebels that have been identified in the new region, which comprises the two Negros provinces and Siquijor province.
READ: New ash emissions recorded at Kanlaon Volcano
The Comelec, led by Castillano, and the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, headed by Police Col. Rainerio de Chavez, held their first Provincial Task Group meeting last week to discuss election concerns.
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They discussed contingency plans should the unrest at Mt. Kanlaon, which is under alert level 2, escalate.
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The volcano erupted on June 3 this year and has been in a state of unrest since then.
Castillano said election officers in towns and cities that could be affected by a new eruption have been directed to update their contingency plans for the May 2025 polls in coordination with the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office and police personnel in their respective localities.
Evacuation plans
The plans should include alternative voting areas, stressed Castillano.
Castillano said he visited Moises Padilla and La Castellana in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental to be briefed on their evacuation plans in case the alert level at Mt. Kanlaon is raised to three or four.
The elections could still be held even if Mt. Kanlaon is under alert level 3 that would require a partial evacuation of residents.
However, if alert level 4 is raised, that would mean total evacuation, which could delay the elections in affected areas, Castillano said.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has reported increased sulfur dioxide and ash emissions from Kanlaon in recent weeks even as it remains under alert level 2 (increasing unrest).
Phivolcs reminded the public that the current activity at the summit crater may lead to eruptive unrest and an increase in the alert level.
Mt. Kanlaon, which covers 24,557.60 hectares of land area with rain forests and verdant vegetation, straddles the cities of Bago, La Carlota and San Carlos and the towns of Murcia and La Castellana in Negros Occidental and Canlaon City in Negros Oriental.