Bulusan evacuees return home

MANILA, Philippines — Residents displaced by the eruption of Mt. Bulusan in Sorsogon have returned home, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

The DSWD said it would continue to monitor the victims to ensure that their living conditions are back to normal.

Irene Dumlao, spokesperson for the DSWD, said that as of yesterday, the five evacuation centers where the victims stayed temporarily have stopped operations.

Dumlao said personnel of the DSWD-Bicol helped the evacuees decamp safely.

She said that since the volcano erupted on April 28, the DSWD has extended at least P22 million worth of humanitarian aid, including family food packs, hot meals, potable water and non-food essentials such as kitchen and hygiene kits, and water filtration units to affected residents.

Dumlao said the DSWD is ready to distribute more relief supplies when the need arises.

She said the DSWD-Bicol has over P3 million in standby funds and P205 million worth of relief goods.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian earlier said the agency may provide financial assistance to displaced residents.

Gatchalian said the DSWD may also help repair houses damaged by the volcanic eruption.

State volcanologists said Bulusan remains under Alert Level 1.