The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Council (NDRRMC) organized a caravan dubbed as Mt. Mayon Humanitarian Response Assistance Caravan this weekend, Oct. 11 and 12.

The caravan aims to provide augmentation support to the resources of the provincial government of Albay to address the needs of families who fled their homes due to the potential hazards of a volcanic eruption, and are now staying in evacuation centers.

Around 12,700 families or 55,000 individuals are currently staying in 44 evacuation centers around the province.

A fleet of 31 trucks loaded with food packs; tins of ready-to-eat food; and, pieces of blankets, malong, mats, and mosquito nets will leave the National Resource Operations Center (NROC), DSWD’s main warehouse in Pasay City, for Guinobatan, Albay before noon tomorrow, Oct. 11.

DSWD Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman said that the caravan is a joint effort of NDRRMC member-agencies and also in response to the appeal for support of Albay Governor Joey Salceda.

The food packs will be unloaded in Guinobatan on Sunday, October 12, to be witnessed by Sec. Soliman, Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas, Health Sec. Enrique Ona, Defense Sec. Voltaire Gazmin, and Sec. Edwin Lacierda.

The officials will also visit an evacuation center in Guinobatan to interact with the evacuees. ###