The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) said it activated its disaster response team after Mount Kanlaon erupted early Tuesday, releasing an ash plume reaching 4,000 meters high.
SRA administrator Pablo Luis Azcona confirmed the evacuation of the agency’s research facility in La Granja, La Carlota, Negros Occidental, with a skeleton crew left behind to secure the site.
“We are on alert, ensuring the safety of our employees. All our vehicles are ready for deployment if requested by local government units,” Azcona said.
SRA board member David Sanson, who heads the team, said relief supplies are on standby and that the agency allocated P4 million for emergency needs.
“We are closely monitoring the situation in Mt. Kanlaon and are prepared to provide assistance as necessary,” Sanson said.
The SRA, which operates from La Carlota City and extends to the La Castellana municipality, employs 180 workers, including field staff.
The eruption, which occurred Tuesday morning, led to the continuation of Alert Level 3 at Mt. Kanlaon, as confirmed by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), which has maintained this alert level since December 2024.
Othel V. Campos