CAMALIG, Albay, Philippines – Authorities are conducting rabies vaccination and mass neutering of dogs owned by residents living along the slopes of Mayon Volcano as a preemptive measure should families be displaced by evacuation efforts once the alert level is raised.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda, chairman of the provincial disaster coordinating council, said Friday morning that the program is province-wide but places whose residents are due for evacuation are given priority.

In Camalig town, Mayor Carlos Baldo and the provincial veterinary services office have started coordination for the series of anti-rabies vaccinations in September.

Vaccinations will also be conducted in other Albay towns including Daraga, Sto. Domingo, Bacacay, Malilipot, Guinobatan and the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao, said Salceda.

“This would reduce risks to health during the evacuation period as well as to protect the pets which are also evacuated,” he added.

The governor, however, emphasized that the mass neutering is only for dogs, not other domestic animals.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday recorded another surge in the activities of the volcano with 13 new volcanic earthquakes detected by the seismic network from its apparent lull early this week.

There were a total of 68 volcanic earthquakes from August 17 to 23 recorded by the seismic network.

On Friday, sulfur dioxide emission recorded was as high as 615 tons per day, a high level compared to its baseline data of only 500 tons per day. Previous readings were only 380 tons per day last August 26 and 261 tons per day last August 24.

According to resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta, inflation of the volcano's edifice has not changed during the past week, still five millimeters inflated compared to the reading obtained in July.

“This means the volcano has not returned to its normal condition,” he said. “Its crater glows at night and can be seen even with the naked eye.”

Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, who visited the province Thursday for a briefing with the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council, said he has already signed the requested P1-million fund for the purchase of emergency equipment.

These items would prepare the farmers at Barangays Buyuan and Padang of Legazpi who might be threatened by pyroclastic flow in case lava from the volcano’s crater collapses.