The country’s chief volcanologist, Renato Solidum, warned that a hazardous eruption was possible within days as Mayon’s activities continue to escalate. The military was still trying to get some 600 holdout residents to leave their homes yesterday in villages within the 5-mile danger zone.
Evacuation centers have been the scenes of daily entertainment for the past week.
“I have mixed feelings of sadness and happiness,’’ 38-year-old vegetable vendor Estela Netuno, who spent the holiday in an evacuation center with her siblings and 9-year-old son, said. “We should be home celebrating with the family, but we are here.’’
She said the gifts of candies and toys her son got from donors, the Christmas Eve dinner pack of noodles and fruits from the local government, and the fried fish and vegetables shared with fellow evacuees during the traditional midnight meal made them happy.
But Netuno said she missed cooking at home, and the rice cakes she usually prepares for Christmas Eve. With crammed conditions and no kitchen, she said it was difficult to do that.
On Thursday night, Masses were celebrated in evacuation centers. Evacuees received gifts or were entertained by soldiers in Santa hats who belted out songs. But the mood was subdued, with many evacuees opting to sleep.
Joey Salceda, the governor of eastern Albay Province, where Mayon is located, said he distributed $2 bills to children to be spent any way they wanted.
