MAYON EVACUEES ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME

LEGAZPI CITY — Albay Governor and Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) Chair Joey S. Salceda has since Sunday (January 3) directed residents within the seven up to eight-kilometer extended permanent danger zone (EPDZ) down slope of Mayon Volcano to return to their homes following the lowering of the volcano’s alert status from level 4 to 3.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has lowered Mayon’s alert status to level 3 meaning the EPDZ only covers six up to seven kilometers and the EPDZ southeast flank of the volcano should still be free from human activity.

Salceda added that residents from within the six up to seven-kilometer EPDZ must remain in the evacuation centers until directed otherwise.

He noted that only 510 families residing within the EPDZ from the municipalities of Daraga, Camalig and Legazpi City will remain at the evacuation centers.

Salceda said that in case Mayon’s restiveness will subside and upon the recommendation of Phivolcs, the alert status will be then lowered from 3 to 2.

“That is the only time that the remaining 510 families at the evacuation centers will be allowed to go home,” he stressed

Salceda has also ordered the AFP-Joint Task Force Mayon to transport back to their barangays the decamped evacuees, while the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to lead the clean- up of schools vacated by the evacuees getting them readied in time for the resumption of classes.

The provincial government of Albay, meanwhile, has assured evacuees of more assistance once back in their villages.

For a smooth restart and the normal resumption of their lives, evacuees are being provided with 15 kilos of rice (3 days of ration) donated by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC); 25 kilos of rice from World Food Program (WFP), once the rice assistance is received by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD); allocation of P1,400 cash-for-work from President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through DSWD where work will just shift from the evacuation centers to their homes and villages.

Returning evacuees will also be benefiting from the P15 million farm rehabilitation program, including provision of two tractors from the Department of Agriculture (DA), originally procured by the Albay Provincial Government for upland areas but realigned to Mayon affected barangays.

Salceda furthermore said that provincial government concerned line departments have been mobilized to undertake damage assessment and prepare reports to the PDCC.

Salceda has also ordered the resumption of classes in schools today (Monday, January 4) after disrupted by Mayon’s unrest and utilized by the evacuees for a couple of weeks. (MALoterte, PIA V)


MAYON ERUPTION BRINGS BIGGEST SURGE OF TOURISTS TO ALBAY

LEGAZPI CITY — Albay province has recorded an influx of some 76,000 tourists, foreign and local alike, as Mayon Volcano eruption, displaying spectacular show lava trickling from the crater down the slopes, mostly visible at night time, took the limelight of being the most-sought-after among other attractions in Bicol in time for the holiday season.

Albay Governor Joey Salceda said on Monday (January 4) the unprecedented figure of 76,000 tourists arrival in the province had Albay achieved the province’s annual target in just a month based on a 2,400 current daily tourist arrivals since December last year

Salceda added that the Mayon eruption has definitely created a significant surge in transport utilization, hotel accommodation, and food services, among other tourism’s facilities in the province.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) in Bicol noted that the Mayon eruption has greatly contributed to the tourism sector with a hotel occupancy rate of 80 percent as compared to the 46 percent rate in December 2008.

Nini Ravanilla, DOT Bicol regional director, said Albay has 1,700 available rooms, adding that tourist arrival since the start of Mayon eruption event was almost 2,500 daily compared to less than a thousand daily in December 2008.

She said rough estimates of visitor receipt was placed at P800,000 daily with a job generation of 3,000.

Salceda however said the eruption event, considered as disaster tourism, is neither encouraged, promoted nor sponsored by the provincial government.

“Disaster tourism is certainly not within the contemplation of the provincial development strategy even if disaster risk reduction and tourism are integral components,” he said.
The sudden surge of tourists is an unintended consequence of a volcanic eruption.

There are actually at least three typologies of this phenomenon - the most common is Mayon watching particularly at Lignon Hill, then the increased visits by non-government organizations (NGOs), foundation work, charity groups and other civil society organizations, event presidential and senatorial aspirants, visiting various evacuation camps and the increased media coverage of the province.

The hotels, including the smaller ones, are getting fully booked. Flights and buses get higher load factors but higher tricycle ridership was the one that gives the area real monetary benefit. "Turo-turo", restaurants, malls, bars are flourishing.

He pointed out that the disaster tourism incremental output does not match what was spent for evacuation of P1.5 million a day for 9,946 families housed in 29 evacuation camps.

The incremental output of 2,500 daily tourists mostly staying for one day assumed at P1,000 daily spending or P2.4 million additional at gross value added factor of .41 percent or P880,000.

He admitted that, there are spillover effects as Albay gets unusual attention for other human interest stories and promotion of our destinations like Misibis, Embarcadero, Tiwi and Manito geothermal which can not be quantified.

The incremental benefits of disaster tourism are simply outweighed by the actual destruction on the livelihoods, crops and properties.

Economic impacts brought by the volcano’s eruption in 2000 amounted to P284 million, in 2001- P301 million and in 2006 - P505 million. The public expenditure for evacuation lasting between 47 to 92 days at an average P1.5 million per day costs P70 million to P138 million. Thus, for 2006, the eruption period which lasted 47 days, the total cost to the Albay economy amounted to P575 million.

He said the province is better off without an eruption even if anecdotally the public gets carried away by the deceptively benevolent images of surging tourists.

The tourism incited by Mayon itself without eruption is certainly beneficial and is strategically pursued by our tourism programs, he said. (MSArguelles, PNA Bicol/PIA)


MOBILE PASSPORT SERVICE FOR 2010 IN CAMARINES SUR SET

PILI, Camarines Sur — The Camarines Sur Employment Center (CSEC) here announces anew that Mobile Passport Service (MPS) will resume the regular twice a month processing on February 2010 and months thereafter, with a new schedule on the 1st and 3rd every month instead of the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month

Passport servicing for this month will be on the January 14, Thursday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and January 15, Friday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon only.

Lucia B. Villanueva, CSEC chief, said that the information came from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Regional Consular Office in Legazpi City.

MPS is an initiative of Camarines Sur Governor LRay Villafuerte, in partnership with DFA Legazpi City RCO, providing ease and convenience to local populaceas they no longer have to travel far to secure their passports.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) has also set up a mobile office at the provincial capitol so that supporting documents such as marriage and birth certificates needed in the issuance of passports could be easily and quickly secured by passport applicants. (SNNieves, MMEC/PIA)


LRAY NUTRI-ESKWELA BENEFITS PUBLIC SCHOOL PUPILS

PILI, Camarines Sur — The provincial government of Camarines Sur, in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd) division office here, has launched last month the LRay Nutri-Eskwela program in Hanawan Elementary School in Ocampo town aimed at improving the health and nutritional status of school children in selected public elementary schools in the province.

Initially, LRay Nutri-Eskwela program targets public schools where provincial government-administered hospitals are situated such as in the towns of Ragay, Libmanan, Sipocot, San Jose, Ocampo and Siruma.

Nutritionists and dieticians working in these hospitals will serve as lecturers during the sessions.

The program complements the on-going LRay Vita Kidz program already benefiting more than 25,000 children, aged six years and below, in several towns of the province.

Beneficiaries of the project include Grade III and VI pupils.

The implementation of the program in identified public elementary schools will run 15 to 30 minutes per session and lectures will focus on proper nutrition, backyard gardening and animal raising and meal planning. (DAndujar, MMEC/PIA)