Philippine Red Cross (PRC), led by its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Richard Gordon and other volunteers, dispatched a humanitarian caravan on Friday, June 9, to mobilize resources for the delivery of additional augmentation assistance to municipalities affected by the activities of Mayon Volcano. (Philippine Red Cross / Manila Bulletin)
After the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised the warning level for Mayon Volcano to level 3  indicating an "increased tendency toward a hazardous eruption," Gordon prepared his team and quickly dispatched a humanitarian caravan.

'Mayon Volcano 2023 Operation' launched

Launched on June 8, the "Mayon Volcano 2023 Operation" is one of the major operations done by the PRC to promptly provide supplies to 10,000 residents living within six kilometers of the volcano's permanent danger zones in Albay. "We are always ready and prepared to help," Gordon said. "We have tapped our RC143 volunteers in Albay to extend the needed support, and our staff is also on the ground," he added. In response to Gordon's directive, PRC dispatched four water tankers with five water bladders, two water filtration units, and tap stands; four food trucks; two Travis multipurpose vans with health supplies, including goggles; three trucks with 2,500 sleeping kits and hygiene kits; and a 6x6 truck carrying 2, 500 jerry cans from its Metro Manila warehouse, Subic warehouse, and PRC Bataan Chapter to supplement other PRC assets already prepositioned in Albay. These water trucks would ensure that the evacuation centers have water to drink since sulfur dioxide and other chemicals from the ash of the volcano could damage water sources. Gordon noted that the PRC is guided by the principles of the 4Ps: "Predict, Plan, Prepare, Practice" in all its operations. "We are always ready for any situation," Gordon said. "It is better to be over-prepared in times of crisis, so we are sending the humanitarian caravan as early as now to ensure that logistics are prepositioned should the situation in Albay turn worse," he added. Meanwhile, PRC Secretary-General Gwendolyn Pang organized the PRC teams to help the people in Albay as soon as possible. "Our team is prepared, and we are already moving as early as now to ensure no one will be displaced," Pang said. "Our volunteers and staff in Albay and Batangas stand ready to assist," she added. Pang also advised communities in Albay and Batangas, where Taal Volcano shows signs of increased unrest, to stay alert and prepared to help those in need. In addition, the PRC Albay Chapter has already dispatched its health caravan with trained medical personnel and built first aid stations and welfare desks equipped with nebulizers and blood pressure monitors in evacuation centers.*(Rhowen Del Rosario)*