Sanitation, other concerns being addressed
THE National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) yesterday said it is moving to address congestion of evacuees and several other concerns at evacuation centers that are housing thousands of Albay residents displaced by the continuing unrest of Mayon Volcano.
“The challenge now is really how to properly manage and make sure the evacuation centers are adequate,” NDRRMC spokesman Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV told a television interview.
Alejandro said authorities will put up additional temporary shelters following reports that some of the evacuation centers are congested.
He said there are standards for evacuation centers.
“For one, we have to try hard to maintain the 3.5 square meter ratio per person for evacuation space. That will give them enough space. And, of course, the elbow to move around. We don’t want to see cramped evacuation centers or facilities,” he said.
As of yesterday morning, the NDRRMC has recorded 4,813 families or 17,216 individuals staying inside 25 evacuation centers. Two hundred other families or 725 individuals are also displaced but staying with their relatives or friends.
However, the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office reported a higher number of evacuees — 5,266 families or 19,079 individuals.
The displaced are from the 6 km permanent danger zone. They were ordered evacuated last week when authorities raised Alert Level 3 (increased tendency towards hazardous eruption) for Mayon Volcano.
Mayon showed decreased activity in the latest 24-hour monitoring period – from 5 a.m. Wednesday to 5 a.m. yesterday.
Two volcanic quakes, 306 rockfalls and three pyroclastic density current events were recorded by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). These are lower compared the numbers recorded from 5 a.m. Tuesday to 5 a.m Wednesday — seven volcanic quakes, 309 rockfall events and seven pyroclastic density events.
But Mayon’s sulfur dioxide emission increased to 193 tons from Wednesday morning to Thursday morning, from the previous 149 tons.
Alejandro said not all the evacuation centers are cramped but said “there are reports some are congested, there are complaints, and we have to maintain the standards as much as possible.”
He said the NDRRMC is coordinating with local government units and other concerned agencies “so that we can start decongesting these evacuation centers.”
“We are looking at establishing more evacuation centers because we need to free up space,” he added.
Another concern the NDRRMC is addressing, Alejandro said, is ensuring there are facilities to maintain hygiene at the evacuation centers.
President Marcos Jr, during his visit to Albay on Wednesday, ordered authorities to ensure the cleanliness and sanitation in the evacuation centers after he noticed some issues during his inspection.
Alejandro said the NDRRMC is going to make sure water, sanitation and hygiene facilities are functioning at the evacuation centers.
“The most important is the hygiene and water and sanitation requirement. We need to have adequate number of latrines, cooking areas, bathing areas. We really have to manage these things to avoid any health problems later on,” he said.
Alejandro said the NDRRMC is also addressing the issue of schools being used as as evacuation centers.
“Most of the evacuation centers that we are using are schools, DepEd (Department of Education) facilities. So this is a challenge for us, also with DepEd, on how we can sustain the education of our affected pupils or learners,” he said.
Alejandro said they also need to ensure there will be no spread of COVID-19 in the evacuation centers.
“There is still the threat of COVID. We still need to manage that because DOH (Department of Health) has reminded us that that we still need to manage the COVID,” said Alejandro
PERMANENT RELOCATION
During the “Laging Handa” public briefing, Albay Gov. Edcel Greco Lagman said the province will discuss the permanent relocation of those inside the 6 km permanent danger zone after the crisis.
“Most definitely, that is what we are going to do after the situation normalizes,” he said.
“Every three or four years, we have such events and it’s a big burden on our funds (and to the people). So we need to resettle them to areas that are outside the danger zone,” said Lagman.
FUNDS
President Marcos Jr. assured affected residents the government has enough funds for their needs in case of a prolonged stay in the evacuation centers and post-eruption rehabilitation of affected areas.
In an interview on the sidelines of the International Trade Forum in Taguig City organized by the Department of Trade and Industry, the President said private firms and organizations are also extending help.
He reiterated that the needs of those affected by Mayon’s activities are not limited to cash, which is why he had directed agencies to determine the needs of the people while they are in the evacuation centers.
Data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development showed that P39.76 million worth of assistance has been provided by the department, local government units (LGUs), and private partners to the affected residents — 9,957 families or 38,854 persons from 26 barangays in Albay as of June 14.
DSWD still has P1.86 million worth of funds (P203.578 million) and stockpiles (P1.659 million) on standby.
The President said the national government is following the “zero-casualty” policy adopted by the local government as he expressed satisfaction with the response rendered by both national and local governments.
He also ordered concerned agencies to prepare contingencies for 90 days to ensure that all the needs of the evacuees are provided.
The Diocese of Legazpi is urging all 49 parishes in Albay to send “Tinagba” offerings to the evacuation centers.
Tinagba, or first harvest offerings, are brought by church-goers in the Bicol Region to be blessed and distributed to the needy, every Feast of Corpus Christi.
Earlier, the Diocese of Legazpi said it will welcome donations for the evacuees from areas affected by the Mayon Volcano eruption. — With Jocelyn Montemayor and Gerard Naval
