By Aileen R Alejo
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has released P6.6mn to the province of Albay to help meet the needs of evacuees who fled their homes to avoid the danger posed by the impending explosion of Mayon volcano.
The money will be used to purchase personal hygiene kits, family food packs, assorted food items and medicines.
Also, the National Resource Operations Centre (NROC) in Pasay City delivered to DSWD-Field Office V, food and non-food items for distribution worth P8,501,350 composed of 1,890 sacks of NFA rice and 10,000 pieces of malong (wrap-around dress).
Among the other items are 10,000 pieces of mosquito nets, 10,000 pieces of plastic mats and 10,000 pieces of dust masks. NROC is the command centre and national warehouse of the DSWD where disaster operations are monitored and relief goods are stored and repacked.
Gov. Joey Salceda earlier requested for assistance from DSWD for the families who were evacuated from the municipalities of Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan, Malilipot, Ligao, and Tabaco City.
The Albay provincial government ordered the forced evacuation of families living within the six-kilometre radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), while assisted evacuation will be implemented for families living within the eight to 10-kilometre radius.
DSWD’s welfare and development teams will continue to work with disaster risk reduction management councils and local government units to monitor the situation and to assist in the management of
evacuation centres.
