MANILA – The government will tap all its available resources to help the families displaced by Mayon Volcano’s restiveness, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Thursday.

Marcos stressed the government must be “sensitive” to the needs of the affected residents in Albay province.

“Whatever is needed, we will have to provide,” he said in a media interview on the sidelines of the International Trade Forum at the Shangri-La The Fort in Taguig City, when asked if the government has enough funds to provide relief assistance to the evacuees.

“Marami namang tumutulong (Many are extending help). All agencies are already engaged in their rehabilitation effort, in the support for the evacuee,” he added.

The government is ready to provide both cash assistance and mental health support, Marcos said.

He acknowledged that affected individuals, including children, might need mental health and psychological aid.

“Kailangan tignan ninyo ano ba ang problema para maayos natin kung ano ang problema nila (We have to identify the problem and address that). And if it takes cash, then that’s well and good. But sometimes it’s not cash. Matagal naming pinagusapan, ano ang gagawin natin sa mga bata na hindi nakakapagaral, na walang ginagawa (We had a lengthy discussion about the children who were unable to go to school [because of Mayon’s unrest]),” Marcos said.

“These are other issues that are basically not quantifiable but they are important. The issues of mental health of those children, even the parent, kailangan natin pagisipan iyan kasi mahirap ang pinagdaanan nila (we need to think about it because they are in a difficult situation). We have to give all the support that we can,” he added.

Marcos said he has instructed concerned agencies to “carefully” study the distribution of monetary aid to the affected individuals.

Marcos visited Albay on Wednesday to assess disaster operations.

Mayon Volcano’s increasing activity has forced nearly 18,000 individuals to stay in evacuation centers in the province’s six towns and two cities.

He visited the Guinobatan Community College evacuation center to assess the condition of the displaced families and also led the distribution of government assistance.In a situation briefing on the Mayon Volcano unrest at the Albay Astrodome, Marcos said concerned government agencies must prepare to cover 90 days of relief assistance, or the estimated maximum period of unrest of the volcano, to take load off local government units. (PNA)