Mayon evacuees ‘safe and secure’

By: Bong Lozada - 10 years ago

AERIAL view of Mayon. MARC ALVIC ESPLANA/INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

MANILA, Philippines–The threat may come in the form of a volcanic eruption or the rebels, but the evacuees are safe.

With more than 50,000 evacuees tucked away from the six-kilometer permanent danger zone of Mayon Volcano, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in Albay said that the refugees are all safe from threats.

Colonel Raul Farnacio, Philippine Army 901st Brigade Commander, said the evacuees scattered across several towns and cities in Albay are safe from the armed communists in the province.

“All evacuation centers and evacuees are safe and secure from any threat,” Farnacio said.

He added that members of the New People’s Army are too far away from the evacuation centers.

Members of the Civil Military Operations of the AFP are in the evacuation centers to entertain and provide security for the evacuees.

Military troops have aided the evacuation of citizens living within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone of the volcano on September 15 as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised Alert Level 3 on Mayon, signifying a forthcoming eruption.

Farnacio said that, even though the rebels are fighting against the government, they can still ask for some relief goods.

“They can go down from their mountain hideaways and ask for some relief goods, they too get hungry,” Farnacio said.