MANILA, Philippines--Straight from her short-vacation in Hong Kong, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will fly to Bicol to oversee the region threatened by eruption of Mayon Volcano, her spokesman said Wednesday.

Executive Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Eduardo Ermita said the President wants to personally monitor the government?s readiness in the event of an eruption and to check the situation of the evacuees fleeing Mayon?s wrath.

Arroyo will meet with Albay Governor Joey Salceda and officials of the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology when she arrives in the province Wednesday afternoon.

Based on reports reaching the Palace, Ermita said that a total of 9,880 families or 47,147 persons are now seeking shelter in government evacuation centers. The NDCC will release 10,200 sacks of rice worth about P9 million pesos for the evacuees. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has distributed three truck-load of food items worth about P2 million.

Ermita said the Department of Education has also been instructed to devise schemes for the shifting of classes to accommodate students in available classrooms. Teachers may also hold classes within the perimeter of evacuation centers to ensure that there would not be disruption of classes.

A total of 45 public schools are being used as evacuation centers, Ermita said.

Earlier, Albay officials said they residents could remain in the temporary shelters for three to four months.