State welfare authorities have mobilized over P331.798 million in humanitarian assistance while maintaining a multi-billion-peso reserve to support nearly 2,000 residents who remain displaced by the ongoing unrest of Mayon Volcano.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported that its Disaster Response Operations Monitoring, Information, and Communication (DROMIC) Division logged 539 families or 1,982 persons currently displaced across the Bicol region (Region V).
The affected population spans 71,552 families or 293,976 persons across 159 barangays. Among those forced from their homes, 533 families or 1,969 individuals are sheltered across 11 official evacuation centers, while six families or 13 persons are staying with relatives or friends.
To sustain long-term relief operations, DSWD has delivered P318 million in food and non-food assistance as part of the total P331.798 million aid package distributed so far to affected communities.
“Ang Department of Social Welfare and Development ay patuloy po na nakikipag-ugnayan sa local government units na naapektuhan nito nga pong pagputok ng Mount Mayon,” DSWD assistant secretary and spokeswoman Irene Dumlao said during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon program on state-run television PTV4.
Beyond immediate food distribution, the agency has prioritized specialized camp facilities and health infrastructure for displaced families.
Dumlao said apart from the food and non-food relief items, DSWD has been ensuring and providing items that would ensure the availability and access to fully functional water and sanitation health facilities inside evacuation centers, availability of fully functional women and child-friendly spaces for vulnerable sectors, and ensuring camp coordination, camp management and psychosocial aid when needed.
Dumlao assured the public that the agency retains a strong financial cushion to handle prolonged volcanic activity, maintaining more than P4.98 billion in standby resources. The reserve includes P93.8 million in cash funds alongside P4.888 billion in stockpiled food and non-food relief supplies.
The relief efforts follow an escalation in volcanic activity on October 30, when authorities raised Mayon Volcano’s alert status from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3 after a mild explosion.