By Brian Campued
Following the raising of Mayon Volcano’s status to Alert Level 3, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assured the local government units (LGUs) in Albay and the public of prompt assistance to those who will be displaced due to Mayon’s unrest.
The DSWD was put on “full alert” status on Tuesday, signaling close monitoring of the situation and continued coordination with affected LGUs as well as its Field Office (FO) 5 – Bicol Region to assist evacuees and affected communities within the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone.
According to the report of Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office as of 7:00 a.m. on Wednesday, a total of 822 families or around 3,125 individuals have been evacuated from Tabaco City, Ligao City, as well as the municipalities of Camalig and Malilipot.
Preemptive evacuation remains in full force as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) advised residents inside the danger zone to take temporary shelters in safe zones due to the danger of pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), potential lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards from Mayon Volcano.
The DSWD FO 5 has likewise begun distributing ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes to displaced families in Camalig, with a total of 163 RTEF boxes given to evacuees in Barangays Quirangay and Anoling who are currently taking shelter at the Tagaytay Elementary School and Bariw Elementary School.
Modular tents were also distributed to be used at Buang Evacuation Center and Buang Covered Court in Tabaco City.
According to DSWD Bicol Regional Director Norman Laurio, family food packs will soon be distributed while its mobile kitchen will be deployed to provide hot meals for the evacuees.
“May Mobile Kitchen po tayo, idedeploy na rin po natin. Yung ating water filtration truck nakastand-by rin, lahat po ng resources ng DSWD, naka stand-by,” Laurio said as quoted in a DSWD news release.
DSWD Spokesperson and Disaster Response Management Group ASec. Irene Dumlao stressed that sufficient stockpiles and standby funds amounting to P132.59 million remain in place and ready to be utilized to sustain relief operations for affected families in Albay.
The FO 5 currently maintains a total of 111,164 boxes of FFPs, 16,580 RTEF boxes, and 15,746 non-food items.
The DSWD’s Bicol Field Office currently maintains 111,164 boxes of family food packs (FFPs), 16,580 ready-to-eat food (RTEF) boxes, and 15,746 non-food items (NFIs).
“Under the strict directive of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the DSWD Field Office 5 is continuously coordinating with the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and local government units to ensure the safety of the residents,” Dumlao said.
As of 12:00 a.m. on Wednesday, 131 rockfall events and five PDCs have been recorded at Mayon Volcano, while inflation at the volcano’s edifice is also being observed, indicating increased pressure and unrest.
Entry into the 6-km PDZ as well as entry without vigilance into the extended danger zone (EDZ) remains prohibited. Pilots are also advised against flying close to the volcano summit.
Phivolcs advised the public and the LGUs to remain vigilant for hazardous events, including rockfalls, landslides, avalanches, ballistic fragments, lava flows and lava fountaining, PDCs, moderate-sized explosions, and lahars during heavy and prolonged rainfall.
-jpv
