Filipino villagers living at the foot of Mayon volcano are seen during a mass evacuation in Daraga town, Albay province, Philippines, 09 June 2023. More than 20,000 residents living around Mayon volcano’s danger zone are being evacuated in schools, gymnasiums, and tents amid impending eruption. Francis R. Malasig, EPA-EFE
MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. urged the residents of Albay and those nearby the Mayon volcano to follow the directives of their local officials, now that the province is under the state of calamity.
“Pinapaalalahanan ang ating mga kababayang Bikolano na sumunod lamang sa mga rekomendasyon at evacuation instructions ng inyong lokal na pamahalaan upang masiguro ang kaligtasan ng bawat isa,” said Marcos in a tweet.
“Patuloy ang paglilikas sa mga pamilyang nakapaloob sa 6km permanent danger zone at pagdadala sa kanila sa mga evacuation centers,” he added.
The Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office said over 600 families or around 2,000 people inside the active Mayon Volcano's 6-kilometer permanent danger zone in Albay have been evacuated since Friday.
There are 4,749 families or 18,184 individuals living within the permanent danger zone, the local disaster monitoring office said.
Marcos also assured the public that P114 million worth of quick response funds from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is available.
DSWD said around 179,000 family food packs are available in its disaster response centers.
Phivolcs chief Teresito Bacolcol on Thursday warned that Mayon was ripe for another eruption, which usually happens once every 3 to 10 years.
Mayon last erupted in 2018, displacing tens of thousands of people after spewing millions of tons of ash, rocks, and lava.