The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) - Bicol Region on Friday said it is preparing the evacuation centers and the reliefs after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOLCS) raised the Alert level to 3 on Mayon Volcano.

It said that this is in response to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian's order which directed the setting up of 1,500 large tents for potential evacuees coming from the 6-kilometer danger zone of Mayon Volcano.

He also ordered the prepositioning of at least 100,000 Family Food Packs (FFPs) in various warehouses in Albay Province in order to prepare for the worst-case scenario.

The DSWD-Bicol is anticipating housing 15,000 people residing within the 6-kilometer danger zone.

Prior to that, DSWD Bicol Regional Director Norman Laurio met with Legazpi City Mayor Carmen Geraldine Rosal and Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Officer Miladee Azur to coordinate efforts and discuss potential needs and available resources.

“We have tapped all line agencies for this Mayon Operations. We have also tapped the Province of Camarines Sur for inter-provincial operability because they have the resources needed such as water lorries, mobile clinics and mobile kitchen. They are ready to respond,” Laurio said.

The Director said that the Albay Social Welfare and Development Office's (SWDO) Quick Response Team (QRT) had already been deployed since Thursday.

The Albay Provincial Safety and Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) has conducted an emergency meeting about safety procedures and preparations for the potential eruption.

According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PhiVolcs), the Mayon Volcano has shown a crater glow and has emitted smoke up to 800 meters tall, and is showing signs of edifice inflation as of 5 AM.

The repeated collapse of the growing summit dome of Mayon Volcano has generated an increasing number and volume of rockfall events.

Written By Dana Ebreo, DZRH News Online Intern