DOH mobilized P84.5M worth of supplies for Bulusan eruption

More than P84.5 million worth of supplies were mobilized by the Department of Health in response to the phreatic eruption of Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire in a media briefing said this was for 100,000 N-95 masks, hygiene kits, assorted medicines, and jerry cans.

Meanwhile, she said the agency also conducted COVID-19 vaccination.

“Nakapagsagawa din po tayo ng routine and COVID-19 vaccination sa mga evacuation centers apart po doon sa ating health consultation at disease surveillance bilang bahagi ng ating medical response,” she said.

(We have also conducted routine and COVID-19 vaccination at the evacuation centers apart from our health consultation and disease surveillance as part of our medical response.)

Vergeire said around 3,280 families or around 16,400 individuals were directly affected by the eruption, particularly in Juban and Irosin.

She said the evacuees have returned to their homes already.

“Bilang nakataas pa din ang Code White sa kanilang area, patuloy pong mino-monitor ng DOH, katuwang DOST-PHIVOLCS, ang sitwasyon,” Vergeire said.

(As Code White is still raised in their area, the DOH, in coordination with DOST-PHIVOLCS, will continue to monitor the situation.)

“Patuloy din po ang coordination natin with the regional office sa Bicol para tuloy po ang paghahatid ng tulong bilang tugon,” she added.

(We will also continue coordinating with the regional office in Bicol so we can continue to send aid.)

Code White means that the full force of medical personnel, even those who were off-duty, are on-call and shall respond to health facilities if necessary.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the eruption occurred at 10:37 a.m. Sunday and lasted for 16 minutes. This raised the alert level of Mount Bulusan from 0 or normal to 1 or low-level unrest.

PHIVOLCS earlier said another phreatic eruption may occur at Mount Bulusan.—AOL, GMA News