Some Mayon evacuees getting sick as centers fill up amid volcanic unrest

As evacuation centers in Albay fill up due to Mayon Volcano's unrest, many evacuees are getting sick due to increasing crowding and the length of time spent in the temporary accommodations.

According to Ian Cruz’s report in “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday, there are currently 1,793 individuals or 489 families staying in five evacuation centers in Tabaco City, currently the city with the highest number of evacuees. 

Among those who get sick in the evacuation center is Mary Rose Ragos’ eight-month old infant, Princess Rianne. 

“Nahirapan po kasi mainit dito po sa loob ng tent,” said Mary Rose. 

(We are struggling here because it's so hot inside the tent.) 

Only five to seven percent of the evacuees who got cough and cold have yet to be treated, the report said. Hence, Tabaco City’s health office is now working to procure vaccines. 

“Basta naka-flu vaccine ‘yan, yung usual days ng symptoms ng cough and cold ay male-lessen,” said City Health Office Office-in-Charge Liezel Loria Cuales-Duncan. 

(As long as they have the flu vaccine, the usual number of days they experience cough and cold symptoms will be lessened.) 

Alert Level 3 is still up over the volcano and its environs due to pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), or fragmented volcanic particles mixed with hot gases and ash.

“Starting today, 11 January 2026, a pronounced increase in real-time seismic energy release (RSAM) was recorded by six of 16 stations of the Mayon Volcano Network,” PHIVOLCS said on Sunday.

“This increase was induced by background tremor while no other volcanic earthquakes have been detected, which may be due to prevailing fully open vent conditions as the volcano effusively erupts.” 

EXPLAINER: What are pyroclastic density currents?

Under Alert Level 3, the public is strongly prohibited from entering the 6-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone due to the threats of PDCs, lava flows, rockfalls, and other volcanic hazards. PDCs are life-threatening as they could get as hot as 1,000 degrees Celsius, the monitoring agency said.

PHIVOLCS earlier on Sunday also monitored 256 rockfall events and 41 PDCs or "uson" at Mayon in the past 24 hours

While others got sick, Ginalyn Bon, unfortunately, lost the child in her womb while at the evacuation center. 

“Ito lang masasabi ko sa anak ko…hindi ko naman sinasadya…” she tearfully  said. 

(This is all I can say to my child... I didn't mean for this to happen…) 

But city health officers said that Ginalyn first bled in late December, and she might have experienced an incomplete miscarriage then. She could have bled again while already in the evacuation center. She would be admitted to the hospital soon, the report said. 

Meanwhile, 26 families or 94 individuals from the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) in Ligao City, Albay have evacuated. 

Among those who evacuated is Sarlito Bobis, whose home is located behind the marker of the PDZ. 

“Sumusunod dahil sa mga kapitan at yung mga militar diyan pabalik-balik,” he said. 

([I am] complying because of the barangay captains and the military personnel who keep coming back [to check on us].) — Vince Angelo Ferreras/BM, GMA Integrated News