LEGAZPI CITY July 24 -- Health Secretary Francisco Duque III gave Albay province various types of medicines to be used for medical missions in areas considered as high risk zone once the 2,760 meters high volcano erupts.
Albay Gov. Joey Salceda expressed his gratitude to Secretary Duque for the medicines to be used in medical missions in five towns and three cities surrounding Mayon volcano.
Salceda said the medical mission is a preemptive health care measure, a new strategy adopted by his administration designed to reduce potential spread of disease in times of mass evacuation once a full blown eruption occurs anytime.
"We have to prevent spread of diseases inside the evacuation centers by holding medical missions to determine the residents' health conditions and make curative or preventive medical measures to curb potential disease outbreak to take place in evacuation camps," Salceda said.
The medical mission will be held in 56 villages at risk to eruption covering 127,000 residents in Malilipot, Sto Domingo, Daraga, Camalig, Guinobatan towns and the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao.
He said the medicines would be of great help as this will mean conservation of the limited calamity funds not only for Mayon but also for upcoming typhoons.
Meanwhile, Mayon volcano continue to manifest intense seismic abnormality signified by low intensity volcanic quakes, crater glow and moderate steaming.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the agency instrument monitoring the volcano seismic activity for the past 24 hours recorded 12 low frequency earthquakes.
Ed Laguerta, Phivolcs resident volcanologist said that the quakes are manifestation that magma is building up inside the volcano.
Asked about the steaming intensity of the volcano, Laguerta said the agency could not yet determine the measurement and extent of steam puff out by the volcano due to the absence of the COSPEC instrument used to measure sulfur dioxide emission.
The volcano crater glow continue to intensify at level 2 delighting viewers watching the volcano at nighttime.
Ground deformation survey indicate that the volcano's swelling event in the Buang and Lidong Levelling lines have not change and still at 8.0 mm and 5.0 mm respectively.
Alert level 2 remains hoisted meaning the volcano is still on a state of unrest which could lead to ash explosions or eventually to hazardous magmatic eruption.
Police and military authorities are still manning their respective check points to prevent any human activity inside the 6-km Permanent Danger Zone including the 7-km extended danger zone at the southeast quadrant of the volcano. (PNA)