The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has begun its own relief efforts to help communities affected by the restiveness of Mayon Volcano.
Operation Mayon 2018-Tabang Kan DENR sa mga Bakwit (DENR helps evacuees) was set in motion on the orders of Environment Secretary Roy A. Cimatu following his visit to Albay province last Jan. 22.
Over the weekend, the DENR central office in Quezon City sent 100,000 protective face masks to the DENR regional office in Legazpi City for distribution to people in evacuation centers.
Cimatu said the face masks will help protect affected residents from inhaling potentially toxic ash spewed out of the volcano.
Apart from shelter, food and water, Cimatu said the government’s priority is the safety of people who are exposed to volcanic ash that could cause a number of health problems, particularly respiratory illnesses.
“We believe that the best way to keep Albayanons safe is to provide them protection against the harmful effects of volcanic ash, so we decided to send them face masks,” Cimatu said
Cimatu had visited Albay to check on the air quality conditions in the towns of Camalig and Guinobatan and cities of Tabaco and Ligao, as well as the vicinities of the 6-kilometer danger zone and extended 7-km danger zone.
Cimatu then vowed to continue to monitor the air and water quality on affected areas and river systems to minimize environmental and health impacts of the volcanic eruption.
On Monday, the DENR Region 5 office led by Regional Director Oscar Dominguez started distributing over 2,000 face masks and more than 500 food packs in two barangays in Guinobatan.
DENR employees and volunteers worked over the weekend to prepare the relief goods, each containing food items and a 5-liter bottled water.
A water tank with purifier was also installed at Guinobatan West Central School to benefit over 1,000 evacuees.
The DENR’s Operation Mayon 2018 is a collaborative effort among officials and employees of the DENR, Environmental Management Bureau, Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and industry partners in the Bicol region. (DENR-PR)
