As we turn the calendar to 2025, the promise of a fresh start feels bittersweet for the City of Canlaon.
While much of the world welcomes the new year with resolutions, and renewed hope, our community continues to grapple with the relentless threat of Mount Kanlaon’s eruption.
For the 60,000 lives disrupted by this looming danger, the past year’s struggles spill into the present, casting a shadow over the year ahead.
Next week marks a grim milestone: one month since more than 7,000 residents were forced to abandon their homes and livelihoods within the six-kilometer danger zone.
Packed into 10 evacuation centers, these evacuees face an uncertain future. Their daily existence now depends on relief goods, and the generosity of donors. Yet, charity can only go so far in restoring dignity to lives uprooted by nature’s fury.
The fields that once provided sustenance and stability lie untended, depriving families of income and hope for normalcy. Schools remain shuttered, denying children the education that should be their beacon of hope for a better future.
The city government, though commendable in its efforts to stretch limited resources, cannot shoulder this burden alone indefinitely.
What Canlaon faces is not just a natural disaster, but a test of resilience, solidarity, and humanity.
The new year must bring not only continued aid but also sustainable solutions.
National agencies and private sectors must step up with resources and expertise to support Canlaon’s recovery. Livelihood programs, educational initiatives for displaced students, and long-term disaster management plans are urgent priorities.
For now, the people of Canlaon persevere, drawing strength from their community, and the faint hope that the volcano’s unrest will eventually subside.
As 2025 unfolds, let us resolve to ensure these brave souls are not forgotten, their burden is shared, and their road to recovery becomes clearer with each passing day.
