Deaths in Albay Evacuation Camps Attributable to Disease, not Poor Care -- DSWD

MANILA, Dec. 30 - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Wednesday the reported death of four people staying at evacuation camps in Albay could be attributed to disease and not to poor care of the government.

DSWD Secretary Esperanza I. Cabral said in an interview that the victims were already in poor health condition prior to their admission to evacuation camps in Legazpi City and Guinobatan.

She also stressed that the government is focused on providing quality care on the more than 50,000 evacuees sheltering in the said camps.

"More and more relief goods and aid are being rushed to the camps where our countrymen are presently sheltering. We will continue caring for these unfortunate families until the danger has passed," Cabral added.

Two elderly women died of heart failure in evacuation centers in Legazpi and Guinobatan, while a three-year-old boy died of respiratory failure in a temporary shelter in Camalig, officials said.

A fourth death occurred when village chief Nicanor Perez, 60, collapsed from a heart attack while in a danger zone in Barangay Buyuan in Legazpi.

Albay Governor Joey Salcedo said that none of the deaths - which occurred between December 19 and 28 - were a direct result of Mayon's current series of eruptions, which began more than two weeks ago.

The two women who died in evacuation camps were identified as Eladia Perez, 65, of Barangay Buyuan, Legazpi, and Nelly Paliza, 68, of Guinobatan. Perez died on December 19 and Paliza on December 28.

The boy died on December 27, and the Buyuan village chief on December 23.

"No deaths were due to the direct impact of the eruption such as lava flows, pyroclastic materials, rockfalls or toxic fumes and gases or the indirect impact of ashfalls on health," Salceda said.

He said no deaths had been traced to lack or poor quality of food and nutrition, water and shelter in the camps. (PNA)