Legazpi city: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), through its Field Office 5 in the Bicol Region, continues to provide assistance to individuals displaced by the ongoing activity of Mayon Volcano.
According to Philippines News Agency, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the DSWD's Disaster Response and Management Group reported that as of 6 p.m. Sunday, 1,115 families, equating to 4,055 individuals, remain in 12 evacuation centers. The unrest of Mayon Volcano has affected a total of 6,363 individuals. DSWD personnel, known as "Angel's in Red Vests," are actively visiting evacuation centers and impacted municipalities to offer support.
The Bicol field office has initiated recreational activities for children at the San Antonio Evacuation Center in Barangay Oson, Tabaco City. These activities are part of the department's psychosocial and stress debriefing efforts aimed at alleviating the emotional distress experienced by children in evacuation centers. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has directed efforts to address the anxiety and sadness among affected residents, particularly children, during this calamity.
Additionally, the DSWD has commenced the second phase of response operations by distributing family food packs (FFPs) to affected areas. A total of 5,665 boxes of FFPs are being distributed to barangays in Tabaco City, Malilipot, Camalig, and other impacted municipalities. The initial phase of food assistance, which started on January 4, supported 1,127 displaced families for a duration of 15 days.
The transfer of internally displaced persons staying in public school evacuation centers to the Tent City in Malilipot has begun, adhering to the Department of Education's protocol that limits the use of schools as temporary shelters to 15 days. Over 100 families will be relocated to Tent City to provide a more comfortable environment and minimize disruptions to school activities.
As of now, the DSWD's total humanitarian assistance to families affected by the Mayon Volcano has reached PHP14.06 million.
