OCD preparing for long-term Mayon response action
Published Jun 14, 2023 11:36 am
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is preparing for a long-term response action amid the ongoing unrest of Mayon Volcano which could last for “three months or more.”
*Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. speaks during a situational briefing on the status of Mayon Volcano and the government's response on June 14, 2023 in Legazpi City, Albay. (Screenshot courtesy of RTVM livestream)
* This was revealed as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led a situational briefing on the status of Mayon Volcano and the government’s response in Legazpi City, Albay on Wednesday night, June 14. Civil Defense Operations Service Director Cesar Idio said that the OCD identified four tactics to respond to the ongoing restiveness of Mayon. First is to prepare for a long-term response action for three months or more; second is to plan for logistics requirement for a long response; third is for local government units (LGUs) to undertake permanent relocation of residents living within the six-km radius permanent danger zone (PDZ); and fourth is to request for additional evacuation centers to avoid the disruption of classes as some classrooms were used as temporary shelters for the evacuees. Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said that he coordinated with Albay Gov. Edcel Lagman, OCD Region 5 Director Claudio Yucot, and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Sec. Renato Solidum Jr. to ensure a “smoother and quicker” coordination of logistics and to avoid duplication or wastage of assets in anticipation of the long-term response. “We will work on this coordination in order to be the funneling point between and among the LGUs and the national government,” Teodoro said.Affected
As of June 14, OCD Administrator Undersec. Ariel Nepomuceno said a total of 9,571 families or 37,231 individuals have been "adversely" affected in 26 barangays in Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan, Legazpi City, Ligao, Malilipot, Sto. Domingo, Bacacay, and Tabaco. Of the number, 4,417 families or 15,502 individuals were staying in 22 evacuation centers while 185 families or 659 persons were being assisted by the OCD outside evacuation centers. Those who evacuated came from 26 of the 30 barangays that are located within the six-km radius permanent danger zone (PDZ). The agriculture sector in Albay has also been affected by Mayon’s restiveness. A total of 217 livestock such as carabaos, cattles, and goats were preemptively evacuated in Daraga and Malilipot.Relief assistance
According to Nepomuceno, a total of P35 million worth of assistance was already provided by the national government, LGUs, and private institutions to affected residents in the different areas in Albay. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), on the other hand, has committed to deploy manpower, assets, and equipment to assist in the ongoing evacuation in Albay. The response assets from OCD Region 5 and other government agencies are composed of 1,154 responders, 103 rescue teams, and 141 mobility vehicles. “In addition to the water purification systems, the Philippine Navy has committed to provide a ship desalinator here to add to our potable water supply,” Teodoro said. “We will continue to work on smooth coordination and push logistics so that the supplies of badly needed items like water and sanitation kits can be provided to the areas without the danger of wastage,” he added.