BACOLOD CITY, April 8 -- The Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has evacuated its research facility, the La Granja Agricultural Research and Extension Center (LGAREC), in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, following the explosive eruption of Kanlaon Volcano on Tuesday.

Barangay La Granja is one of the villages directly hit by ashfall, based on the report of the city government.

"I ordered the evacuation of our research facility in La Granja, with a skeleton crew left to secure the facility. All our vehicles are ready to deploy when requested by the local government units," SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona said in a statement.

LGAREC has 227 employees, including 187 facility staff and 40 field workers. Some 20 personnel, mostly s...