DSWD grants cash aid to farmers affected by Mayon ashfall

By Rhaydz Barcia

LEGAZPI CITY --- To ease the burden of Albayano farmers affected by the eruption of Mount Mayon Volcano, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will provide P10, 230 in emergency cash assistance to 6,411 farmers whose crops and palay plantations were damaged by ashfall on May 2, 2026.

Albay Governor Noel E. Rosal said in a Facebook post that beneficiaries are farmers from Sto. Domingo, Bacacay, Malilipot, and Tabaco City in the first district; Guinobatan and Ligao City in the third district; and Daraga, Camalig, and Legazpi City in the second district.

Each of the 6,411 affected farmers will receive P10,230, with total assistance reaching P65,584,530.

Rosal said payout will be implemented over three days, from May 12 to May 14.

Guinobatan municipal agriculturist Grace P. Teaño said more than 1,500 rice farmers were affected, along with over 1,000 high-value crop farmers and 371 corn farmers, with estimated losses reaching P54 million.

Department of Agriculture Bicol spokesperson Lovella Guarin said initial assessments showed 15.35 hectares of rice, corn, and high-value crops were damaged, with production losses of 83.60 metric tons valued at P6,637,937.06.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) reported initial damage covering 138 hectares of palay fields, affecting at least 71 farmers across irrigated areas.

Among affected systems, the Inascan Communal Irrigation System sustained damage to 30 hectares affecting 20 farmers; Masarawag recorded over 40 hectares affecting 15 farmers; Mabalod Tandura CIS reported 15.2 hectares affecting nine farmers; while the Upper Libod system logged the largest damage at 53 hectares affecting 27 farmers.

NIA Bicol continues monitoring and validation with local government units to determine full damage and required interventions.

Governor Rosal, also chair of the Regional Development Council in Bicol, coordinated with National Defense Secretary Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. to discuss preparedness measures and ongoing relief operations amid the continued unrest of Mayon.

The provincial government said Albay continues to implement its disaster risk reduction and management system in coordination with the Office of Civil Defense.

Rosal and Teodoro also discussed the planned transfer of the Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Group 5 from the old Legazpi City domestic airport to Bicol International Airport to pave the way for the development of an uptown business district at the former airport site.

Vegetable farmers in Barangay Calbayog, Malilipot, Albay harvest cabbage grown on the slopes of Mount Mayon Volcano. At least 6,411 farmers in Albay are experiencing crop stress and damage following heavy ashfall from the May 2, 2026 eruption.

Another farmer who experiences the same fate, facing crop losses due to ashfall.