Following Mt. Bulusan’s eruption, Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III on Monday, June 6, ordered the distribution of prepositioned supplies and face masks to affected residents.
“I have instructed that all the prepositioned supplies must already be distributed to the affected families, especially those in the evacuation centers,” he said during a television interview.
As such, the chief of the Department of Health (DOH) said he has already instructed the distribution of N95 masks and N88 surgical masks.
The DOH, he said, has sent hygiene kits, potable water, and water containers to the affected communities.
Duque said the health department has already issued advisories on eye care, respiratory care, as well as the proper handling and preparations of food.
“We have already cascaded all the advisories to the affected communities through the Region 5 DOH in coordination with local government units,” the DOH chief said.
He stressed that it is important for affected residents to be protected from the impact of the ash fall.
In a related story, during a “Laging Handa” briefing, DOH-TAG (Technical Advisory Group) member Dr. Edsel Maurice T. Salvana said it is very important for residents to have access to quality face masks.
He said such masks must be worn especially when the particle count in the area is very high.
Salvana stressed that it is very important to wear face masks as such materials can damage the lung, cause scarring, or damage lung tissue.
Meanwhile, Salvana has urged residents temporarily staying at evacuation centers to always observe minimum health and safety protocols to prevent an outbreak of Covid-19 and other viral illnesses.
On June 5, thick smoke billowed from Mt. Bulusan after a phreatic eruption or steam-driven explosion. It was then placed by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology or Phivolcs under Alert Level 1.