LIGAO CITY, Albay – Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) here have established a free vegetable pantry for Mayon Volcano evacuees at the Albay Campsite Evacuation Center in Barangay Basag, this city.
BENEFICIARIES of the 4Ps program in Ligao City in Albay are offering free vegetables for evacuees of Mayon Volcano at the  Campsite Evacuation Center in Ligao City. (Niño N. Luces) According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Bicol, members of 4Ps from Barangays Santa Cruz, Guilid, and Mahaba set up the vegetable pantry to support the needs of the evacuees from Barangay Baligang who are staying at the Campsite Evacuation Center. Ligao City Mayor Fernando Gonzales told the Manila Bulletin that vegetables being given came from the communal gardens of the 4Ps beneficiaries, farmers in Ligao, and other residents unaffected by the heightened unrest of Mayon. "The concept is, 'yung mga evacuees natin, puwede silang kumuha dito, 'yung mga pangangalingan nilang lulutuin. Hindi sila puwedeng kumuha ng for stock purposes (Evacuees can get vegetables to be cooked. But they cannot get for their stock)," Gonzales said. The pantry offers free vegetables such as sitaw (string beans), malunggay, pechay, ampalaya, gabi leaves, eggplant, okra, upo, jackfruit, sili (chili), and even coconuts. Evacuees can also be given grated coconut meat with the help of employees from the provincial government. "If they need for the next day they can come back. Halimbawa gusto magluto, pupunta dito at pipili siya (If the evacuee wants to cook, he can come here and select)," Gonzales said. Gonzales added that aside from the pantry, the city government also set up a communal kitchen for evacuees. At least 10 gas stoves have been for evacuees to enable them to cook for free. "They can cook their food for free, gas stove na ‘yan at yung LGU ang nagpo-provide (the LGU provides the gas stove). Bawal na rin gumamit ng kahoy sa pagluluto at saka bawal na rin 'yung open fire (They can’t use firewood and open fire for cooking)," he added. Fifty-seven families were evacuated to the Albay Campsite Evacuation Center They are from Purok 3 and Purok 4 of Barangay Baligang who were extremely affected by the heightened unrest of Mayon.