DILG orders evacuation of Mayon residents

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January 8, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Local government units (LGUs) in high-risk areas around Mayon Volcano in Albay have been ordered to evacuate residents to safer ground due to the volcano’s intensified unrest and possible eruption.

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) issued the order after state volcanologists placed Mayon under Alert Level 3 on Tuesday due to lava dome growth at the summit and increased pyroclastic density currents.

Local officials were directed to prevent entry into Mayon’s six-kilometer-radius permanent danger zone due to risks posed by possible sudden eruption, lava flows and rockfalls.

Residents living within seven- to eight-kilometer radius were told to prepare for evacuation should Mayon’s abnormal activity escalate.

Health authorities advised residents to prepare emergency go-bags containing water, food, clothes, flashlights, medicine, hygiene kits and other necessities.

Local officials have been told to remain vigilant and monitor Mayon’s activities through their disaster risk reduction and management councils, the DILG said.

To ensure efficient coordination and response, LGUs were told to activate their emergency operation centers and coordinate with the provincial government and regional disaster risk reduction and management council.

Acting Philippine National Police chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez ordered police units in Albay to be ready to undertake preemptive actions in the wake of Mayon’s increasing unrest.

More food packs

As this developed, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has ordered the release of an additional 100,000 family food packs for displaced Albay residents.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian ordered DSWD-Bicol chief Norman Laurio to distribute ready-to-eat food to affected families.

DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the agency has prepositioned food and non-food items at different warehouses in Bicol.

Modular tents have been set up in an evacuation center and a covered court in Tabaco City to accommodate evacuees, Dumlao said.

She said the DSWD-Bicol is coordinating with the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council as well as with LGUs to determine other forms of assistance needed by evacuees.

Meanwhile, tourists will be allowed to see Mayon on a limited basis even as the volcano is showing signs of increasing unrest, according to the Department of Tourism.

The DOT-Bicol said that activities such as ATV or all-terrain vehicle tours, mountaineering or trekking and camping within or near the danger zone are prohibited.

The DOT-Bicol urged tourists to visit other destinations in the region, stay alert and heed instructions issued by authorities.

Tourists have been advised to confirm the status of their flights and bring face masks  to protect themselves in case of ashfall events.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines extended the flight safety advisory that the CAAP issued to pilots in connection with abnormal activities of several volcanoes across the country.

CAAP spokesman Eric Apolonio said pilots were told not to fly aircraft near the summits of Bulusan, Mayon, Kanlaon and Taal volcanoes as well as to monitor official advisories for updates. – Jose Rodel Clapano, Ghio Ong, Rudy Santos