By Rey M. Nasol, Ephraim Aguilar
Inquirer Southern Luzon
First Posted 18:17:00 12/24/2009
INQUIRER.net
LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Albay officials on Thursday warned villagers no one would come to help them if they refused to evacuate and Mayon Volcano erupts violently
But hold-outs—residents who continue to resist government’s evacuation orders—said they preferred to spend Christmas in their homes than in evacuation centers.
Albay Gov. Joey Salceda issued the warning as troops searched villages in danger zones for the hard-headed residents amid threats of a major eruption by the most active volcano in the Philippines.
"If you are there, you die there. There is no way of rescuing people (if) rescuers would also be killed," Salceda said in a press briefing.
In yet another frightening display of its power, Mayon boomed 124 times over a 24-hour period, while belching ash columns towering 1.2 kilometers over its summit, higher than its previous ejections.
But hundreds of villagers still ignored government appeals for them to evacuate.
"After field validation, 179 more families are still within the danger zones. This excludes those who have returned without our knowledge," said Salceda, chair of the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council.
Officials recalled 77 farmers and thousands of animals were burned to death by volcanic materials in Bonga, Buyuan and Mabinit villages in this city during a series of Mayon eruptions from February to April in 1993.
Despite more frequent explosions and President Macapagal-Arroyo's order for forced evacuation, some residents within the 8-km extended danger zone would rather take their chances than leave their possessions and their animals behind.
"We have lived here for a long time, we know the volcano. We'd rather spend Christmas here than in the crowded evacuation centers," said Cris Mendioro, 34, of Barangay Matanag.
Mendioro, whose house is just a few meters from an Army checkpoint, said he and the others had packed their belongings and were ready to leave should the volcano erupt.
Volcanologists have placed Mayon—which began spewing ash on Dec. 14—under alert level 4, meaning a hazardous blast could occur within hours or days. The highest alert, level 5, means a major eruption is underway.
Aside from Mayon’s productive soil, cattle, crops, attachment to pets, like dogs, drive villagers to risk their lives and stay in their residences instead of living in crowded evacuation sites.
"We are already listed at the evacuation center in Barangay San Roque but heads of families, like me, come back to feed the pigs and pets," Arnulfo Marcellana, 43, of Barangay Mabinit, told the INQUIRER Thursday morning during the forced evacuation.
"The dogs are pitiful to hear every time we return here. They wail in hunger. If only they (disaster officials) will assure us that they will feed our animals, things would be much easier for us," the father of three added.
On one of his returns, Marcellana decided to just untie his 4-month-old pig so that it could look for its own food.
"I just hope it is still there when we are allowed to finally go back," he said. "Imagine if their cries could be heard at the evacuation center, we would wonder if our pets and animals were finding anything to eat."
Marcellana said the thought kept bothering him and his family now that they had decided to heed warnings not to return home just yet.
Luis Esquivel, also of Mabini and a relative of some of the farmers killed in the 1993 eruption, said that although he had kept coming back to his village, he could not sleep.
He said he was always on the alert, closely watching Mayon’s crater while he tended his crops.
"I have my motorcycle always with me for a quick escape," Esquivel said. "I am used to this. I have experienced these things six times in my life since childhood."
He added: "What we are afraid of is the 'uson' (pyroclastic flows), which killed farmers here."
In the adjacent Barangay Bonga, 8 km from Mayon's crater, hundreds of people still roamed the streets as if things were normal.
"Barangay Bonga will be our next target for the forced evacuation simultaneously with other areas in the northern and eastern side of Mayon," said Capt. Razaleigh G. Bansawan, 901st Infantry Brigade and Task Force Mayon spokesperson.
Mila Atun, 45, mother of 6, said she came back to get firewood and kitchen utensils, and also to fetch Mariel Alaurin, an 8-year-old neighbor left behind by her parents, who are now at a evacuation center in Gogon Elementary School.
Alaurin, in tears, said her father was working in the rice field when he was taken to the evacuation center. The girl was left home alone.
Atun said: "We have gotten used to this kind of situation—evacuating even if we are safe here."
A man who refused to give his name said his family was already in the evacuation center and that no one was left, except him, to look after their carabao, cows, goats and crops. He said he still has not decided whether to leave Barangay Bonga.
As early as 5 a.m. Thursday, Task Force Mayon, the Commission on Human Rights and local government units began implementing Ms Arroyo’s order for forced evacuation.
"A platoon of soldiers from the task force and CHR-Bicol and three military vehicles were sent to the villages within the 6-8-kilometer danger zones to enforce the directive," Bansawan said during the conduct of the forced evacuation at Barangay Mabinit here.
Bansawan also said that a team from the Albay Health and Emergency Management was also requested to attend to incapacitated persons that would be found in the area.
The directive was also issued to all the units manning the checkpoints along the 8-km danger zones to strictly enforce the no-entry policy at the areas.
"As soon as the mission is 100 percent completed, all road networks to the restricted areas will be sealed off," Bansawan said.
Col. Marlou Salazar, commanding officer of the 901st Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, briefed the enforcing elements on the rights of the people and their remaining responsibilities after all the people have been forcibly taken out of the danger zones.
"They will have to patrol the area against thieves as the residents opted to leave some of their belongings, some animals like pigs and their pets," Salazar said.
"Forcible evacuation has been ordered, no more exceptions and operations have commenced," Salceda said, adding
"We have patiently explored and employed all means, all ways, all sorts just to get the 10,000 families out of danger and keep within CHR guidance. We could have completed the task in one day instead of nine days but did not due to 179 families still out there, excluding those who have returned without letting us know."
He said dogs would be evacuated as well as the villagers' cattle, carabaos, pigs and pets and be given corresponding feeds for free at their designated evacuation centers in the Albay Breeding Station in Camalig, in Barangay Paraputo in Tabaco City, in Mauraro in Guinobatan and in Bogtong, this city as identified by the Provincial Veterinary Services Office.
Salceda added that the Department of Agriculture Bicol regional office had also provided P15 million fund for post-calamity and rehabilitation activities.
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