Mayon Volcano: Tabaco City Declared Under State of Calamity

The City Council approved a resolution declaring a state of calamity in Tabaco City, Albay, amid the continuous unrest of Mayon Volcano.

The resolution, dated January 20, cited an advisory from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) that residents inside the six-kilometer permanent danger zone (PDZ) evacuate while Alert Level 3 is still in effect over Mayon.

The declaration of a state of calamity allows the city government to tap the Quick Response Fund for disaster response.

“Whereas, there is a need to declare a State of Calamity to enable the City Government of Tabaco to utilize the Quick Response Fund under the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund (LDRRMF) for disaster response operations and to undertake other related emergency measures for disaster preparedness and avoidance,” the resolution read.

A total of 489 families, or 1,787 individuals, have evacuated in Tabaco City, the highest number of internally displaced individuals in the whole province of Albay, according to the resolution.

Alert Level 3 was raised over Mayon due to the threat of pyroclastic density currents. —VBL, GMA Integrated News