Qatar- Mayon evacuees assured of quality goods

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assured victims of the Mayon volcano disaster that relief goods being given to them were of the highest quality and said that anything less would be acted on immediately.
'I assure you that relief goods that are being distributed are not expired because that is unacceptable. Goods that will be found expired will be investigated, said DSWD Officer-in-Charge Emmanuel Leyco in the wake of an investigation by the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office.
According to the report of DSWD Field Office 5, the relief goods will not expire until 2020.
Leyco further clarified that the agency distributed food items three months before the expiration date.
Leyco flew to Albay last week to assess the status of the distribution of the relief goods and the conditions in the evacuation centres.
He emphasised that the agency distributed relief goods through its Food for Work Programme wherein family food packs were provided in exchange for the work carried out by beneficiaries.
As of yesterday, 19,113 families or 72,441 persons are currently staying in 88 evacuation centres in Albay, the DSWD said.
Meanwhile, Mayon emitted a weaker lava fountain and a 500-metre ash plume that lasted for 37 seconds on Saturday evening.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said that while Mayon's activity has been waning, Alert Level 4 remained in effect over the area.
'Phivolcs will maintain close monitoring of Mayon volcano and any new development will be communicated to all concerned stakeholders, the agency said.

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