Albay Governor Joey Salceda has taken decisive steps and started mobilizing agencies and resources in his province for the comprehensive rehabilitation of the disrupted lives and livelihood of Mayon Volcano’s eruption victims.

Salceda kicked off his rehabilitation initiatives for the eruption victims simultaneously with his order, as chairman of the Albay Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC). for the return to their homes from evacuation centers of residents from within the 7 to 8-km Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) of Mayon Volcano.

The order followed the decision on Saturday by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) to lower Mayon’s alert level from Level 4 to 3, even as he directed that residents from within the 6-km PDZ must remain in evacuation centers until ordered otherwise.

Salceda has also ordered agencies concerned to perform and carry out their assigned functions under Task Force Mayon in support of the recovery and rehabilitation initiatives for the eruption victims.

“Our activities are just shifting the venue of our interventions to assist the victims from the evacuation centers to their villages. They are Mayon victims whether in the camps or in their homes; thus, they need the assistance of the state and the community wherever they are. Certainly, there would be some adjustments,” he explained.

The interventions, Salceda said, start the victims off with cash- for-work, followed by livelihood seminars and provision of farm inputs and implements.

He said they are also encouraging civic organizations and other non-government organizations to conduct their interventions directly in the barangays. “Our provincial government remains open to these partnerships,” he assured.