Mayon Volcano in Legazpi City, Albay (Photo courtesy of Jeric Nobleza)
MANILA – The European Union is allocating 50,000 euro or approximately PHP3 million to assist families affected by the increased activity of Mayon Volcano.
The funding will be coursed through the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and will benefit over 7,500 people in Albay, the EU Delegation in Manila said Wednesday night.
The support will help the PRC deliver immediate assistance through the distribution of emergency shelter items, sleeping kits, primary healthcare assistance and hygiene kits as well as increase access to clean water supplies and sanitation facilities to affected communities.
The funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
“The European Union, together with its Member States, is the world's leading donor of humanitarian aid,” the delegation said.
“Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and safeguard the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and human-made crises,” it added.
The restive volcano is under Alert Level 3 due to increased tendency towards a hazardous eruption.
In a recent TV interview, Albay Governor Edcel Greco Lagman sought assistance from the national government as he reported the province's quick response fund is “about to be exhausted”.
Based on the latest data from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, at least 9,776 families or 37,944 people in the Bicol Region are affected by Mayon's unrest. (PNA)
