The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will continue to monitor residents who have returned home following the eruption of Mt. Bulusan, ensuring they can safely resume their normal lives, a senior agency official said on Saturday.
According to a DSWD news release, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) confirmed that all five evacuation centers previously housing displaced families have now been closed, based on a 6 a.m. report.
“Personnel from our Bicol Regional Field Office assisted in coordinating the decampment process,” Dumlao said. “However, our efforts don’t end there. We will maintain monitoring operations, especially as Mt. Bulusan remains under Alert Level 1.”
Following the volcano’s eruption on April 28, the DSWD has provided over P22 million worth of aid to affected families, primarily in Sorsogon province. This assistance included family food packs, hot meals, drinking water, hygiene kits, kitchen essentials, and water filtration units.
Dumlao noted that the DSWD remains ready to distribute additional aid if needed. The Bicol regional office currently has over P3 million in standby funds and prepositioned relief supplies—both food and non-food items—worth more than P205 million.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian previously said the agency is also considering providing financial aid to cover needs not included in food packs, such as medicine and healthcare expenses. Support for house repairs and livelihood restoration may also be offered if necessary.
“Our Bicol regional office will continue working closely with the provincial government of Sorsogon to track developments at Mt. Bulusan and ensure prompt delivery of needed support,” Dumlao added.