The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) has called on the government to provide immediate and comprehensive support and aid to farmers and rural communities devastated by the Mount Kanlaon eruption on December 9 and 23. Latest records show that the volcanic eruption affected an estimated 12,000 families or more than 45,000 individuals.

According to data from the Disaster Response Operations Management, Information and Communication, 6,720 families have evacuated due to the volcanic ashfall in Regions VI and VII. In total, 32 barangays on the islands of Negros and Panay have been affected. Impact was most severe in Canlaon City, La Castellana, Murcia, and La Castellana in Negros Occidental.

The estimated damage in the agricultural sector is ₱33.5 million, with 297 hectares of rice fields destroyed. The eruption directly affected the crops, livestock, and farming equipment of 780 farmers. The KMP warns that the total damage may increase in the coming days, especially with the Alert Level 3 still in place in the area.

KMP chairperson Ka Danilo Ramos said the announced aid from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and Ferdinand Marcos is grossly inadequate for the widespread devastation experienced by the farmers.

“The DA’s promise of zero-interest loans and limited aid is a slap in the face of Negros farmers,” the peasant leader said. He emphasized that the farmers on the island have suffered during the El Niño period and now with the volcanic eruption, yet the government has presented no sustainable and significant aid.

KMP called on the Marcos administration to allocate sufficient funds compensate farmers for destroyed crops, livestock, equipment, and homes. “The government’s failure to act decisively in times of calamity deepens the suffering of farmers, who are already burdened by decades of neglect,” Ramos added.

These programs, including the promotion of genuine agrarian reform, are part of Ramos’ platform for the upcoming 2025 elections as a Makabayan Coalition senatorial candidate.