Evacuees in some Albay towns stay in cramped shelters as Mayon unrest continues

ALBAY, Philippines – As Mayon Volcano‘s unrest continues, an increasing number of residents are being uprooted from their homes and moved to designated evacuation sites. But in municipalities like Camalig, the “sanctuary” offered is a cramped reality: according to evacuees, as many as 13 families — roughly 35 or more individuals — are squeezed into a single classroom.

Amy Nabor, a resident of Barangay Anoling — a farming village situated within the six-kilometer permanent danger zone — has been staying with her family at Tagaytay Elementary School since Tuesday, January 6, when Alert Level 3 was declared.

For Nabor, this is a recurring ordeal. She has spent her life fleeing Mayon’s eruptions; now that she has her own family, the same familiar dangers loom over a new generation.

“We just make do with the space provided, no matter how many members are in each family, because we have to evacuate for our safety,” she said in Filipino.

Nabor’s family is among the 123 families or 430 individuals sharing the limited rooms of an elementary school. (READ: Refuge or harvest? Albay farmers torn between safety, saving crops amid Mayon ashfall)

“What we need most is a proper, safe place to sleep, where the coldness of the floor doesn’t seep into our backs. The students also need their classrooms back. We hope for a permanent evacuation center with better sleeping quarters so our children don’t have to suffer from the cold,” Nabor said in Bicolano.

Temporary relief

Tagaytay Elementary School is one of only two active evacuation centers in Camalig, where staff from the local government unit and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are stationed to maintain safety and order. The distribution of food packs to affected residents is ongoing.

When asked about the conditions in these centers, Camalig Mayor Caloy Baldo said that assistance from local authorities was mobilized immediately. Beyond providing short-term relief, Baldo emphasized the province’s urgent need for a long-term solution to keep residents out of harm’s way permanently.

“The governor held a brief dialogue with the internally displaced persons (IDPs) to personally hear their needs. He also discussed plans with the local government, such as providing permanent housing solutions to end the cycle of evacuation during volcanic unrest — a proposal the IDPs received positively,” Baldo said.

Like Camalig, Tabaco City is grappling with a surge of evacuees. In Barangay Buang alone, 85 families or 303 individuals are sheltering in a covered court where DSWD tents have been erected. 

As of Friday, January 9, Tabaco City has recorded 449 evacuated families or 1,678 individuals, contributing to Albay’s province-wide total of 1,094 families or 4,032 individuals in 17 evacuation sites. (READ: Mayon unrest displaces over 3,000 residents in Albay)

In 2024, a study by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) revealed that while Bicolano families are accustomed to frequent calamities such as typhoons and Mayon’s eruptions, many remain far from prepared. The chronic lack of proper housing and dedicated evacuation centers only compounds the population’s susceptibility to these crises.

Vincenzo Bollettino, director of HHI’s Resilient Communities program, emphasized the human element of disaster management, saying, “Building trust in government efforts is essential for effective disaster response, ensuring that communities feel supported, prepared, and engaged when facing crises.”

Respiratory concerns

James Emmanuel Naz, a volunteer nurse from Righters.Ph, in collaboration with the Angat Buhay Foundation, noted that as the number of evacuees grows, medical needs have become a critical priority. The cramped, shared spaces significantly increase the risk of respiratory issues.

“It is vital to address potential respiratory illnesses through regular check-ups. We need to identify those with asthma or other conditions, as well as monitor chronic illnesses like high blood pressure,” Naz said.

He warned that ashfall from Mayon could trigger serious medical emergencies, making it essential for authorities to monitor both the health of the evacuees and the air quality within the centers.

Naz, alongside other youth volunteers, issued a call for continued support for those affected by Mayon’s activities. He emphasized that the youth play a crucial role in ground-level humanitarian efforts.

“We have the power to help our community. When we work together, we can more effectively address the gaps and needs of our people,” Naz emphasized.

Righters.Ph is currently calling for donations to support their initiative to deliver ready-to-eat food packs to the most affected evacuees. – Rappler.com