Some residents living near the slopes of Mayon Volcano defy danger and continue returning to their villages to tend to their vegetable crops and feed their livestock.
According to Tarabang para sa Bicol Inc. (TABI), evacuees are struggling with their livelihood because of their temporary displacement and distance from their homes.
“While some evacuees are temporarily allowed to return to their communities to check on their crops and livestock, travel is more costly because the evacuation centers are far from their areas,” TABI said.
On January 6, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) elevated the alert status of the Mayon Volcano to Alert Level 3. The agency reported 308 incidents of rockfall events and 68 incidents of ash and rock emissions. Consequently, 3,000 residents living within the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone were evacuated. They are barred from returning while the alert remain in effect. The volcano’s heightened activity may persist for several months, similar to its 2023 eruption which continued for six months.
According to the Albay Provincial Agricultural Office (APAO), Mayon’s persistent unrest has severely affected the agricultural sector in nearby villages and towns. Volcanic ash damaged a total of 1,816.823 hectares of crops across the towns of Malilipot, Bacacay, Legazpi City, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan, and Tabaco City. Over 2,000 hectares of fishponds, 534 hectares of coconut plantations, 527 hectares of vegetable farms, and 377 hectares of rice fields were destroyed.
In Malilipot, 366 hectares of abaca plantations managed by 386 peasants and vegetable farms in the danger zone were affected. In Guinobatan, 377.91 hectares of rice fields and vegetable and corn farms cultivated by 557 families were damaged. Agricultural lands in Daraga and Camalig were also affected.
The volcanic activity directly hit an estimated 2,279 farmers and plantation workers.
If the volcanic activity persists, evacuees will be forced to stay in evacuation centers for months. Prolonged evacuation brings intense anxiety to families and disrupts daily life. Livelihoods are severely affected, especially for farmers living on the volcano’s slopes, TABI explained.
TABI has currently reached 930 families or 3,466 individuals affected by the disaster. They come from five barangays in Malilipot, two barangays in Camalig, and one in Ligao City. The families are temporarily staying at Buang Evacuation Center Covered Court, San Jose Elementary School in Malilipot, and Tagaytay Elementary School in Camalig. They endure shortages of toilets, kitchens, water, and proper sleeping mats.
TABI calls for drinking water, food, hygiene supplies, and medicine for the evacuees.
