Mayon students get 5 tents from Turkey’s Red Crescent Society

Photo courtesy of Philippine Red Cross

The Turkish Red Crescent (TRC) Society has donated five huge inflatable tents to serve as temporary classrooms for evacuees affected by the Mayon eruption in Albay.

The humanitarian group, which set up the tents for demonstration at the Philippine Red Cross Multipurpose Hall and Logistics Center, turned over the temporary classrooms to the Philippine Red Cross on Thursday.

The 56-square meter tent, which comes in white and red, can accommodate 45 students. The PCSO will put up the five tents in Camalig, Malilipot and Guinobatan towns.

“I am very happy that these tents can be built in less than 30 minutes. Children can now resume their studies. This is a symbol of solidarity among the movement and the national societies… Thank you for being ready to help the vulnerable,” PRC Chair and CEO Richard Gordon said on Twitter.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has raised Alert Level 4 over Mount Mayon. Around 82,400 families were displaced due to the volcano’s various seismic activities, and are now sheltered in 79 evacuation centers as of January 29, the PRC said.

Gordon said the shortage of classrooms is now a problem in the province since the classrooms are being used as evacuation centers.

“Learning must never stop amid the looming disaster,” Gordon said in a statement.

Present during the turnover rites were Turkish Ambassador to the Philippines Esra Cankorur, TRCS Head of Disaster Response and Management for International Programs Utuku Akbas, TRCS Executive Officer in International Programs Department Teyfik Cem Binatli, and PRC Secretary General lawyer Oscar Palabyab.

The TRC has earlier donated at least P3.3 million for PRC’s relief operations in provinces hit by recent Typhoon “Vinta.”

Aside from the tents, the PRC is also constructing 10 latrines in different evacuation centers in Guinobatan and Malilipot.