More than 70,000 families have been affected by the ongoing volcanic activity at Mayon Volcano, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported Thursday.
Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a media briefing that 286,000 individuals across the Bicol Region have been impacted.
As of Thursday morning, 1,132 families, or about 4,100 people, remain in 12 designated evacuation centers, while dozens of others are staying with relatives or in unofficial shelters.
Under a standing agreement with the provincial government, the DSWD is distributing family food packs every 15 days to support local government units. To date, the agency has provided more than 100,000 food packs, 1,400 ready-to-eat food boxes, and 7,600 non-food items, including hygiene and kitchen kits.
To combat “food pack fatigue,” the agency has deployed a mobile kitchen to serve hot, nutritious meals to displaced residents.
Dumlao cited that the department is now focusing on the health risks posed by extreme heat within the camps. As the lead agency for camp management, the DSWD is exploring ways to retrofit evacuation centers with better insulation and ventilation.
“One of the improvements we are considering for evacuation centers is the addition of cooling areas,” Dumlao said.
The agency is currently evaluating the use of air-cooling units and other equipment to protect internally displaced persons, particularly those living in tents, from rising temperatures.