DepEd closely monitors restive Mt. Mayon

By Hannibal C. Talete

MANILA, Dec. 22 –Education Secretary Jesli Lapus on Tuesday said that he has ordered the regional office in Bicol to closely monitor the restive Mayon Volcano to ensure that there are no major disruptions when classes resume after the holiday break.

“I have already tasked the DepEd (Department of Education) Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office to regularly get updates on the latest condition of schools in Bicol to ensure that our school children can go back to school well and safe. More importantly, we have to see to it that these children have working schools to go back to and continue their education,” Lapus said.

He said DepEd had constructed 12 disaster-resistant buildings in Bicol, which could withstand severe weather condition. Three of these are now used as evacuation centers.

In a report transmitted by the Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office as of Tuesday, 14 schools in five municipalities (Camalig, Daraga, Guinobatan, Malilipot, and Sto. Domingo), were used as evacuation centers by 5,955 families (26,571 individuals) in Albay.

In Legazpi City Division, there are five schools used as evacuation centers by 2,463 families (12,745 individuals). Six schools shelter 799 families (3,936 individuals) in Tabaco City, while only two schools house 333 families (2,215 individuals) in Ligao City Division.

Christmas break started last Dec. 18. Several classes that week (Dec. 14-18) were suspended in the affected areas and those inside the danger zone. These schools will hold makeup classes on Saturdays after the regular classes resume on Jan. 4, 2010.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Tuesday afternoon that the volcano’s activity has become very intense with stronger volcanic earthquakes and continuous lava flowing.

Authorities said the volcano continued to show an intense level of activity during the past 24 hours with a total of 1,266 volcanic earthquakes detected during the 24-hour observation time.

The increased alert level prompted authorities to hasten the evacuation of a total of 9,946 families or 47,285 residents from 45 villages located within the 6-kilometer to 8-kilometer danger zones of the volcano.

The Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council of Albay reported that a total of 9,428 families have been evacuated from the danger zones. (PNA)

RMA/HCT

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