LEGAZPI CITY (PIA) — Around 180,000 food packs have been prepositioned in Bicol region after the eruption of Bulusan Volcano, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian said on Tuesday.
“Sa Region 5, malalapit ang warehouses natin (In Region 5, our warehouses are nearby), and we have 180,000 family food packs as we speak,” Gatchalian said at a press briefing in Sorsogon City.
“Handang-handa ang DSWD to supply the food requirements. Sa ating Pangulo (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.), simple lang: huwag pabayaan ang biktima o apektado ng kalamidad—yun ang utos nya,” he said.
(The DSWD is ready to supply the food requirements. For our President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.), it is simple: do not neglect the victims or those affected by calamities—that is his order.
Gatchalian said that in the event the calamity lingers, the DSWD is also prepared to offer financial assistance and cash relief assistance to victims of Bulusan’s eruption through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation program.
“Huwag naman sana tayo umabot dun pero in the event umabot tayo dun, bukod sa family food packs, mandatory sa amin sa utos ng Pangulong Marcos na mag financial assistance na,” he said.
(We hope we don’t reach that point, but in the event we reach that point, aside from family food packs, it is mandatory for us under President Marcos’ order to provide financial assistance.)
“Bakit financial assistance? Kasi alam naman natin na hindi lahat ng pangangailangan ng mamamayan ay matatagpuan sa loob ng food packs,” he added.
(Why financial assistance? Because we know that not all the needs of the people can be found in food packs.)
Gatchalian also assured the public that the DSWD is in close coordination with local governments in Sorsogon to assess if more assistance should be provided.
DSWD Regional Director Norman Laurio said that 20,000 food packs were immediately delivered by truck to Sorsogon just hours after the eruption occurred in the early morning.
At least 2,000 of the food packs were immediately distributed in the towns of Irosin and Juban, he said.
Laurio said that as of Monday night, 14,830 families or 74,209 individuals are affected by Bulusan’s eruption, with 73 families, or 252 individuals, staying in Juban Municipal Evacuation Center and Irosin National Agency and Terminal Evacuation Center.
Bulusan Volcano erupted on Monday, prompting state volcanologists to raise the alert level to 1, which indicates low-level unrest.
The eruption produced a voluminous plume that rapidly rose to 4,500 meters above the crater before drifting west to southwest, affecting 51 barangays in the municipalities of Irosin, Juban, Magallanes, Bulan, Bulusan, Barcelona, Casiguran, and Gubat. (PIA Bicol)
