Classes suspended in schools within Mayon Volcano danger zone

Classes in all schools within the six-kilometer radius danger zone of Mayon Volcano in Albay were suspended, Governor Edcel Greco Lagman said Friday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Lagman said work would continue despite the cancellation of classes. However, all forms of economic activity were  temporarily suspended inside the danger zone to ensure the safety of residents.

“Ang pinag-usapan dyan walang pasok sa school pero 'yung work tuloy-tuloy lang po 'yan,” he said. “Ang ating advisory, nakalagay doon, very clear there will be no classes sa schools that will be conducted sa paaralan sa loob o nakatayo inside sa six kilometer danger zone. Hindi lahat apektado.”

(From what we discussed, work will continue but classes will be suspended. It was indicated clearly in our advisory that no classes will be conducted in schools inside the six-kilometer danger zone.)

“Pinagbawal na rin natin ang kahit anong klase ng economic activity sa loob ng six kilometer danger zone,” Lagman added.

(All economic activities were also suspended.)

The Albay provincial government earlier placed the province under a state of calamity after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) raised the alert status of Mayon Volcano from 2 to 3, signifying its "increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.”

The declaration of a state of calamity will hasten the rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation efforts of the government and the private sector. This will also control the prices of basic commodities and necessities and will allow the local government units to utilize appropriate funds for their rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation measures.

For his part, Lagman said 1,800 to 2,000 families from the towns of Camalig and Guinobatan have already been evacuated from their residences.

Authorities earlier started the evacuation of 2,400 families or 10,000 individuals living within the volcano’s four-kilometer radius permanent danger zone. — DVM, GMA Integrated News