Albay is considering permanently relocating residents who lie within the six-kilometer radius of Mayon Volcano’s permanent danger zone, Gov. Edcel Greco Lagman said Thursday.
“This perennial problem has to stop,” Lagman said in Filipino during a televised briefing. “We experience this every three or four years. Permanent resettlement is really necessary. Let’s move the residents to places beyond the danger zone.”
Lagman said, however, that a law needs to be enacted so that the government may legally relocate families living within the PDZ.
Despite government reminders that entry into Mayon’s PDZ is not allowed, thousands of people have to be evacuated every time the volcano becomes restive.
Lagman called on the affected residents to be open to the possibility of eventually resettling to a safer place so as to not cause inconvenience every time the Mayon Volcano’s activities intensify.
Nearly 18,000 residents have been displaced by Mayon Volcano’s continuing unrest, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Thursday.
NDRRMC said in its latest report that the majority of the 17,941 displaced people are staying in different evacuation centers.
The number of people affected by Mayon’s activities has risen to 37,682 but no injury or death has been reported to the authorities.
Families within the extended danger zone were moved to safer areas as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said there is still a chance for Mayon to have an explosive eruption.
In Phivolcs latest advisory, 306 rockfall events and two volcanic earthquakes were recorded from June 14 to June 15, while three pyroclastic density current events were also observed.
The volcano released 193 tons of sulfur dioxide on Wednesday as a fair crater glow and “very slow” effusion of lava from the volcano’s summit were observed.
Plumes 700 meters tall were seen drifting in a northwestward direction.
Hazards such as rockfalls, landslides, avalanches, ballistic fragments, lava flows and lava fountaining, pyroclastic density currents, moderate-sized explosions, and lahar during heavy and prolonged rainfall may still occur.
While exhibiting a “quiet and gentle” eruption, Mayon Volcano may still have an explosive one, Phivolcs director Dr. Teresito Bacolcol said. (See full story online at manilastandard.net)
Mayon Volcano has been in alert level 3 status after the state volcanology bureau raised the alert level due to increased unrest in the volcano’s activities.
Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense said it has extended additional assistance to the local government units in Albay, with 3,200 sacks of rise and other relief items for the affected residents.
Lagman received the supplies from NDRRMC chairperson and DND Secretary Gilbert Teodoro and OCD Administrator and NDRRMC Executive Director Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno.
In a previous report, OCD has sent aid in the form of tarpaulin rolls, N95 face masks, family food packs, hygiene kits, pelican cases, portable water filtration unit, and a water filtration truck to Albay to assist the affected areas.
The government has provided a total of P37.3 million worth of assistance to the affected region.
Meanwhile, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Thursday directed the concerned government agencies to conduct a thorough evaluation of the Mayon evacuees’ conditions so they can identify areas that need additional non-cash assistance.
Marcos assured the public that there are available and adequate funds for relief efforts.
He also acknowledged that monetary assistance is not the sole solution to the challenges faced by affected families.
“Whatever is needed, we will have to provide,” Marcos said. “All agencies are already engaged in the rehabilitation effort, in the support for the evacuees.”
Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Thursday urged local chief executives in the province of Albay to continue working closely with concerned agencies, the Philippine National Police, and the Bureau of Fire Protection, and remain on alert to respond to an eruption at Mayon Volcano.
“Let us all stay on our toes. Let’s be ready for anything that might happen to ensure the safety of our countrymen,” the DILG chief said.
On Wednesday, Abalos accompanied President Marcos, who visited the province to check on the condition of evacuees and extend direct assistance to them.
Marcos, Abalos, and the local officials went straight to the evacuation center at Guinobatan Community College where United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador, Mohamed Obaid joined them in handing out relief packs to affected residents.
The President also led a joint Regional and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils situation briefing where he tasked national government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to provide the needs of the evacuees in evacuation centers.
“If you have a need, tell us. The mayor, the governor, the DSWD, and the DILG, they are all here to support you,” said Marcos, addressing the families affected by the unrest in the volcano.
