Police forces in Central Visayas have been instructed to deploy enough personnel and relief items for those devastated by typhoon "Rolly" in Bicol, particularly in the provinces of Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Albay.
Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said policemen in Central Visayas are expected to assist in the clearing operations, rehabilitation, and relief distribution to local residents of Bicol.
“They will be sent to Bicol to assist and provide food items for the affected residents. We are also coordinating with our counterparts in the Armed Forces of the Philippines for equipment that will be used in areas heavily affected by lahar flow and mudslide,” said Cascolan.
The towns of Camalig, Daraga, and Guinobatan were severely affected by mudslide and lahar flow at the height of the onslaught of "Rolly" on Sunday.
Catanduanes was also affected by mudslides.
The lahar flow was triggered by heavy volume of rains that washed the ash deposits at the slope of Mayon Volcano. Aside from lahar, boulders were also swept down the slope and hit and damaged the dikes.
Based on the latest data, a total of 10 people were confirmed dead in Bicol Region.—nine of them are in Albay and one in Catanduanes. But the fatality list has yet to be confirmed by local authorities.
During the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Bohol in 2013, the Albay Public Safety Emergency and Management Office (APSEMO) sent a humanitarian mission to assist the local residents who were injured and lost their homes.
The 80-man team from APSEMO were composed of medical, sanitary, and social welfare personnel.
Cascolan said the Camp Crame-based team under the Reactionary Standby Support Force (RSSF) are on standby to assist the affected residents in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon, and Central Luzon.