Albay prepares for Mayon eruption

BEAUTIFUL AND PERILOUS Mount Mayon in Albay appears calm from a distance on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2022, but it may erupt anytime. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said the restive volcano might produce pyroclastic flows due to the lava dome blocking the volcano’s crater. Photo by Rhaydz B. Barcia

By Rhaydz Barcia

LEGAZPI CITY: The provincial government of Albay is bracing for a complex disaster as Mount Mayon is again showing signs of an impending eruption amid the typhoon season and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Gov. Noel Rosal urged the province's disaster officials to prepare for an intricate situation after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) resident volcanologist, Dr. Paul Alanis, warned of a possible lava-dome collapse that might generate pyroclastic flows.

Rosal also called for an emergency meeting with national government agencies and disaster responders to discuss the measures, guidelines and strict enforcement of a no-man's land within the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone.

The new governor of Albay told the disaster officials of various local government units to bar civilians, specifically the farmers toiling on the fertile soils of the Mayon Volcano slopes, from entering the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone.

Rosal also ordered all the local government units to start evacuating residents living inside the no-man's land to ensure their safety and security.

Alanis warned of a possible collapse of the lava dome from the summit, which might generate pyroclastic flows that would cascade down the southeast quadrant of the volcano facing Legazpi City, Sto. Domingo, Daraga and Camalig.

Phivolcs hoisted Alert Level 1 over Mayon Volcano on Sunday afternoon, August 21, for exhibiting restiveness.

Alanis said the lava dome at the volcano's crater generating a faint glow may crumble anytime, posing danger to the people who might enter the 6-kilometer permanent danger zone.

Magna carta for Filipino seafarers pushed

By Javier Joe Ismael

SEN. Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go on Saturday pushed for the passage of the proposed Magna Carta for Filipino Seafarers as he emphasized the need to recognize the rights and contributions of the country's seafarers.

Go had earlier filed Senate Bill 1191 which aims to provide for a Magna Carta of Filipino Seafarers to secure the right of the country's seafarers to decent and humane employment and set a guide for seafarers on training, overseas employment, and retirement.

The proposed measure seeks to institute mechanisms for the enforcement and protection of Filipino seafarers and provide the compulsory benefits that they deserve.

"The Philippines has been the primary supplier of maritime labor and considered the manning capital of seafarers globally since 1987. Of the 1.5 million mariners worldwide, 25 percent are Filipinos, making them the single biggest nationality bloc in the maritime industry," Go said.

"Despite the risk associated with a seafaring job, many Filipinos still chose the profession and gambled their life on board just to provide a better life for their families. Filipino seafarers' remittances have been genuinely beneficial to the Philippine economy. In fact, they contributed $6.54 billion or around 21 percent of the total OFW remittances in 2021," he said in a statement.

The senator underscored the need for the country to enhance and strengthen its measures in fulfilling its duties and obligations as the 30th Member State to ratify the International Maritime Labor Convention of 2006 (MLC).

"It is high time for the government to pass an additional piece of legislation that would benefit Filipino seafarers and give them rights corresponding to the MLC standards," Go stressed.

The Magna Carta codifies the rights of the seafarers into a single reference law, including their right to just terms and conditions of work, self-organization, educational advancement and training, information and consultation, fair treatment in the event of an accident, and against discrimination.

It also provides standard terms and conditions of employment for seafarers, including provisions related to wages, hours of work and rest, leaves, and social welfare benefits. It likewise mandates ship owners to provide medical care, both onboard and ashore, as well as a financial security system to assist our seafarers in case of injuries.