By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
After 52 villages in Camalig and Guinobatan towns, as well as Ligao City, were affected by heavy ashfall during a recent pyroclastic density current (PDC), resources were quickly mobilized to ensure continuity of critical services.
This, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ordered the expedited mobilization of aid and assistance by government agencies to these communities choked off by Mayon’s ashfall.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) has begun clearing operations to remove ash from major roads and ensure safe and continuous travel for residents and emergency responders.
The Department of Health (DOH) is likewise distributing N95 masks and deploying mobile clinics and water stations to address respiratory concerns and provide immediate medical assistance, especially for those experiencing coughing, difficulty in breathing, and eye irritation.
Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) personnel were also deployed to conduct water spraying and ash clearing operations in affected communities.
Evacuation efforts are led by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), with their staff closely monitoring the volcano’s activities to ensure the safety of residents in high-risk areas.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) meanwhile is providing food packs, ready-to-eat meals, and essential support to evacuees across the Bicol Region.
The Chief Executive also instructed authorities to monitor rivers and waterways for possible lahar flow, especially in the event of heavy rainfall.
As of press time, Mayon Volcano remains at alert level 3, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s (Phivolcs) 4:00 a.m. bulletin on Monday.
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