Media groups, OCD close ranks for Mayon evacuees

By Juan Escandor Jr. LEGAZPI CITY---Bicol media groups, personalities and the Office of the Civil Defense (OCD) have closed ranks to help the evacuees of the Mayon eruption whose number peaked to more than 80,000 individuals as of Sunday, January 28. The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) provincial chapter chairmen, media personalities and OCD Bicol head Claudio Yucot signed the Statement of Unity, Tabang Mayon 2018, at the OCD office here on Sunday. Yucot said the Statement of Unity sealed the cooperation between the OCD and the Bicol media groups and personalities to boost the needed help and assistance to the evacuees that had grown to more than 80,000 individuals or 20,000 families since Mayon erupted two weeks ago. He said for the food requirement alone, using the standard computation of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at P200/family/day, the government will be spending P4 million a day. Yucot said that aside from the financial and food assistance the Bicol media groups could provide, they can also facilitate the dissemination of information regarding the situation of the evacuees. Noel De Luna, community advisory board of KBP, said the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office has already committed funds that will be coursed through the KBP for the OCD to receive any time this week. De Luna on Sunday has turned over 100 sacks of rice to the OCD thru Yucot. Yucot said all the assistance turned over by the Bicol media groups will be managed by the Albay Public Safety and Emergency Management Office (Apsemo). The Statement of Unity was also signed by Tito Ordinario, Albay KBP chair; Cesar Chavez, vice president ofManila Broadcasting Network; Cedric Daep, Apsemo head; Arnel Eclarinal, president 9th Infantry Brigade Press Corps; Sherwin Mata, Camarines Norte KBP chair; and Bong Echalose, Camarines Sur KBP chair.