By Mar Gabriel
Eagle News Service
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council insisted on Tuesday that the national government was giving enough assistance to Albay since the volcano was monitored in a restive state.
In belying Albay Gov. Al Francis Bichara’s claims, NDRRMC Spokesperon Romina Marasigan said there were many food and non-food items in the provincial and regional offices of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and assistance continued to pour in the province from the national level.
In fact, she said food and non-food items worth P26,876,683 have already been sent for use of affected residents.
She said the NDRRMC could even send help to the evacuees for up to three months.
According to Marasigan, if the governor was saying there was a lack of financial assistance coming from the NDRRMC, the agency was not allowed to send such.
“We have to understand na may protocols sa pagbibigay ayuda sa kababayan..Money for (local government units), hindi kasama sa protocols..,” she said.
So far, she said 7,455 families or 28,846 individuals remain in evacuation centers, while 1518 families or 6850 individuals stayed with their relatives.
She said the evacuees were from Camalig, Ginobatan, Ligao, Daraga, Malilipot, Tabaco, Sto. Domingo and Legaspi City.