MANILA — The Lucena-based Southern Luzon Command (SOLCOM) placed all its disaster response units (DRUs) on alert following the series of phreatic explosions and lava flow coming from the Mayon Volcano early this week.
This was disclosed by SOLCOM spokesperson Col. Teody T. Toribio said in a statement forwarded to reporters.
“Disaster response personnel and mobility assets of 9th Infantry Division, Tactical Operations Group 5 and Naval Forces, Southern Luzon are all prepositioned in Camp Simeon Ola, Legazpi City for the continuous deployment for pre-emptive evacuation of residents residing in the 6-8 kilometer Permanent Danger Zone,” he added.
Toribio also said the designated operations and civil-military operations officers of the 901st Infantry Brigade under the Task Force Sagip were constantly coordinating with the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils (DRRMCs) for updates and response operations.
“While we maintain a close coordination with the Office of Civil Defense 5, (OCD 5) some of our disaster response teams are already in the area assisting the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) of Albay in the evacuation of residents in the remote affected barangays of Guinobatan and Camalig towns,” SOLCOM commander Lt. Gen. Danilo G. Pamonag said. (Priam Nepomuceno, with Raymart T. Lolo-OJT/PNA)
