Gov’t preparing for prolonged evacuation scenario in Albay

Presidential Adviser for Political Affairs Francis Tolentino on Tuesday said the government is already preparing for a prolonged evacuation situation in Albay as Mayon Volcano continues to spew lava.

Tolentino, the appointed Mayon Volcano crisis manager, told Unang Balita in an interview that Malacañang is projecting that the evacuation situation will last for more 100 days based on the current activity of the volcano.

GMA News' Ivan Mayrina reported that there are at least 70,000 people staying in evacuation centers, which are mostly schools located outside the eight-kilometer extended danger zone.

Mayrina reported that the last recorded eruption of the volcano was at 9:15 p.m. on Monday and lava fountaining events have been recorded since then until past 6 a.m. Tuesday.

The report added that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) is still not discounting the possibility of a hazardous eruption, but the current activity of the volcano shows that it may just continue to spew lava, ash and pyroclastic materials for the next several days until it calms down.

Tolentino said the projected cost that would be needed for the evacuees during the 100-day period was P404 million or P4 million a day.

He said that currently, there is an available fund of P160 million, including P55 million from Albay local government units and P105 million from the national government.

"Kapag nagtagal, baka ang maging kakulangan ay P140 million, kapag inabot ng 100 days," Tolentino said.

He said that during the Cabinet meeting on Monday night, President Rodrigo Duterte reiterated that the government should focus on the needs of the evacuees, including food, safe drinking water, health and sanitation and education for the children.

The secretary reported that the Department of Public Workds and Highways has committed to construct 333 toilets. As of Monday, the agency has produced 330 toilets, he said.

They were also able to finish the construction of 196 temporary learsning spaces, more than half of the targeted number of 358.

He said once the target number of TLS is achieved, more classrooms will be opened to the displaced residents of Albay.

Tolentino said clean water is regularly being delivered to each evacuation centers.

He urged people to donate more vegetables, including root crops, for the displaced residents for their nutritional needs.

He added that if the evacuation situation continues for two more weeks, he has proposed to slaughter cows owned by some of the evacuees. There are a total of 681 cows, carabaos, horses and other livestock evacuated from Mayon Volcano's danger zone.

He said farmers whose cows will be slaughtered for food will be paid half of the price of the animal and after the crisis is over, the government will give them additional two calves. —ALG, GMA News