Duterte visits Albay amid Mayon’s restive state

LEGAZPI CITY — President Rodrigo Duterte visited this city in Albay on Monday to check on the situation of thousands of displaced residents by Mayon volcano’s eruption.

Duterte landed at the Legazpi Airport amid cloudy skies and a silent Mayon, whose last activity of sporadic lava fountaining was recorded 7:47 p.m. on Sunday.

The President arrived at the Camp Sineon Ola here at 3:51 p.m. and immediately had his situation briefing.

Alert Level 4 remains hoisted over Mayon Volcano, which means that a hazardous eruption is still possible.

Duterte flew to Albay as tens of thousands of residents remained in evacuation centers and as ash continued to cover the towns within the 8-kilometer danger zone, while lahar flowed from the volcano’s lava-filled Binaan Channel due to heavy rains.

In its 9 a.m. advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Albay would experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers.

As of January 28, data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) showed that 22,885 families or 89,109 persons in 59 barangays in Albay are affected by the Mount Mayon eruption.

DSWD said 18,255 families or 69,290 persons were taking temporary shelter in 74 evacuation centers; while 2,822 families or 11,946 persons were staying outside evacuation centers. /je