The province of Albay province was placed under a state of calamity on Tuesday afternoon as Tropical Storm “Kristine” brought heavy rains to much of the Bicol Region.

The state of calamity declaration will also make necessary the forced evacuation of people in areas badly affected by Kristine in Albay. Already, more than 3,000 people have been evacuated in six provinces in the Bicol region, including in Albay, due to heavy floods.

Albay Public Safety Emergency Management Office (APSEMO) acting chief Dante Baclao said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (Provincial Board) unanimously approved placing their province during its regular session.

“With the declaration, our local government units (LGUs) can now use their calamity funds,” he said.

Baclao said the provincial government would assist the LGUs in their needs.

“So far, we have more than P40 million in funds that can assist LGUs, provided that they need to use their fund first,” he said.

Acting Albay Governor Baby Glenda Ong Bongao also issued an advisory on the forced evacuation of people who may be affected by flooding, lahar flow, and landslides in the province.

She asked the APSEMO response cluster to implement the necessary interventions to provide lifesaving and humanitarian assistance to support evacuation and camp management.

Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 5 (Bicol Region) disaster response and management division chief Claudio Villareal Jr. said the families displaced by floods in the region were from Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Sorsogon, and Catanduanes.

He said 851 families or 3,046 individuals are staying in evacuation centers or with relatives.
“We are collating reports from local government units as of this time. The initial number of evacuated families is expected to increase as TS Kristine is bringing heavy rainfall to the Bicol region,” he said.

Villareal said the agency has provided the evacuees with food packs, temporary shelter, and access to essential services.

(PHOTO FROM PNA)