DSWD and LGU staff assist affected families as they once again evacuate due to the raising of Alert Level 4 over Mayon Volcano.

With Alert Level 4 raised in Albay due to the looming eruption of Mayon Volcano, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) through its Field Office (FO) V is preparing for the challenge of assisting the potentially huge number of families that will be displaced.

As of the 6am report of DSWD-Disaster Response Assistance and Management Bureau (DReAMB), there are 7,455 families or 28,846 persons who are taking temporary shelter in 29 evacuation centers in the affected cities and municipalities in Albay. In the meantime, 1,518 families or 6,850 persons are staying with their relatives and friends. However, these numbers are expected to increase as more families living in villages within the 8-kilometer danger zone continue to evacuate.

According to DSWD Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia, the DSWD-Field Office has already requested from the Central Office another 30,000 family food packs (FFPs)  as a supplement to the previous request of 30,000 FFPs last week in preparation for the additional affected families residing along the eight-kilometer extended danger zone.

To date, the Field Office has a stock of 15,462 FFPs  for augmentation support to affected local government units.

Since January 13 when Mayon Volcano first showed signs of activity, a total of ₱19,391,288.76 worth of assistance has been provided to affected families from the combined resources of the DSWD with ₱16,221,024.72;  LGUs with ₱124,605; and, non-government organizations (NGOs) with ₱3,045,659.04.

Meanwhile, DSWD Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Emmanuel A. Leyco assures the public that the Department is ready to assist local government units requesting for augmentation.

“We are continuously monitoring the condition of affected families in coordination with the province of Albay for additional assistance. We assure the public that the resources of the Department are sufficient and ready for distribution since more families are expected to seek refuge in temporary evacuation centers because of the extended coverage of the Mayon danger zone,” he said.

“We urge the families who are still within Mayon’s danger zone to leave and seek immediate shelter in the evacuation centers. We also urge affected locals not to go back to their communities without the advice of authorities for their own safety and to wear protective clothing and masks against the possible negative effects of inhaling volcanic ash. Respiratory systems are vulnerable against inhaled volcanic ash, and this is especially true in the cases of children and the elderly,” he said. ###