Over 50K food packs distributed already amid Mayon Volcano unrest —DSWD

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Monday said it has distributed over 50,000 food provisions amid Mayon volcano's recent activities that have prompted evacuations in several areas in Albay.

“What we did was by yesterday, kahapon pa lang, we gave five days, 15 days worth of food provisions to the nine local government units affected,” Secretary Rex Gatchalian told ANC.

“So we gave them 38,000 worth of food boxes sa LGU level, nine LGUs. And then another 15,000, another 15,000 with the governors sa provincial warehouse,” he later added.

According to the secretary, the food packs contain 6 kilos of rice, nine canned good, coffee, and ready-to-eat oatmeal. 

Gatchalian said the national and provincial governments will take turns in food distribution.

“The game plan there is after 15 days, the provincial government will do the next six days of food relay. Then after which the national government will come in again for another 15 days,” he said.

Meanwhile, according to Gatchalian, the government aims to evacuate around 8,000 families.

“Because it’s Alert Level 3, the 6-kilometer danger zone na-evacuate na ‘yan. The goal there is to evacuate close to 8,000 families. From my understanding, they will finish it by yesterday,” he said.

Gatchalian said the government is also mulling to provide cash subsidies should the volcano’s unrest exceed 45 days. He said this will come from the agency’s social welfare fund.

“So what we also agreed was maybe after 45 days we can, instead of food boxes, the department can come in with cash subsidies kasi the groceries are open naman, the shops are open,” he said.

“Meaning, one, you can empower them by the right to choose, you give them cash, they can go to the grocers and buy things that their families need,” Gatchalian added.

On Sunday, one volcanic earthquake and 177 rockfall events were recorded in Mayon Volcano over the past 24 hours as it remained under Alert Level 3, according to PHIVOLCS.

PHIVOLCS previously that Mayon continued to have “intensified unrest” or magmatic unrest since its alert level status was raised from 2 to 3 on Thursday last week. —KBK, GMA Integrated News