Government agencies unite to aid Mayon-affected families

VARIOUS government agencies are working together to continuously provide assistance to thousands of families who are still in evacuation centers for over a month now since the sporadic eruptions of Mayon Volcano mid-January.

Based on the recent report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, Mayon’s restless activity has already affected a total of 23,299 families or 89,514 persons in 61 barangays from the municipalities of Bacacay, Camalig, Guinobatan, Ligao, Daraga, Tabaco, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, and Legazpi City.

According to Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs and Mayon Volcano Crisis Manager Secretary Francis Tolentino, as the Mayon Volcano continuously spews lava and ash plumes, they are projecting that the evacuation situation may last for more 100 days. Hence, the aid from the national government “will be of great help to augment the scarce resources of local municipalities.”

“This is what you call concerted effort. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has

the Commission on Elections the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) set-up a kitchen and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) has feeding program,” he expressed.

Tolentino also acknowledged Pagcor’s generous efforts in assisting affected families.

Pagcor has been conducting feeding programs for over 2,000 individuals in different evacuation centers since January 21. For almost a month now, the agency has served rice meals to thousands of evacuees in Tabaco, Malilipot, Camalig, Legazpi City, Daraga, Guinobatan, and Sto. Domingo.

Pagcor’s Vice President for Corporate Social Responsibility Group Jimmy Bondoc said the agency’s relief operations team will continue its feeding activity until the lives of displaced folks get back to normal.