LEGAZPI CITY – Albay province was placed under a state of calamity Tuesday afternoon due to the widespread impact of Tropical Storm Kristine.
In an interview, Albay Public Safety Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) acting chief Dante Baclao said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) unanimously approved the declaration during its regular session.
“With the declaration, our local government units (LGUs) can now use their calamity funds,” he said.
Baclao said the provincial government would assist the LGUs in their needs.
“So far, we have more than PhP 40 million in funds that can assist LGUs, provided that they need to use their fund first,” he said.
Acting Albay Governor Baby Glenda Ong Bongao, on the other hand, issued an advisory on the forced evacuation of people who may be affected by flooding, lahar flow, and landslides.
She asked the APSEMO response cluster to implement the necessary interventions to provide lifesaving and humanitarian assistance to support evacuation and camp management.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 5 (Bicol) said more than 3, 000 people were evacuated in the region’s six provinces as heavy rains caused flooding in various areas.
In a phone interview, DSWD-5 disaster response and management division chief Claudio Villareal Jr. said the displaced families were from Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes.
He said 851 families or 3, 046 individuals are staying in evacuation centers or with relatives.
“We are collating reports from local government units as of this time. The initial number of evacuated families is expected to increase as TS Kristine is bringing heavy rainfall to the Bicol region,” he said.
Villareal said the agency has provided the evacuees with food packs, temporary shelter, and access to essential services. (PNA)