Manila: Government relief trucks rolled off from Pasay City in Metro Manila for a 12-hour journey by land to Albay to bring relief to hundreds of people sheltering in evacuation centres after a volcano alert was sounded over Mount Mayon.

At least 36 trucks loaded with P9.4 million (Dh773,606) worth of donated and government-purchased foodstuffs, as well as relief supplies set off on the more than 450km long journey via the Pan-Philippines Highway Saturday morning.

The relief-run was undertaken by the national government as aid materials and foodstuff continue to run out at the evacuation centres in Albay.

A total P55 million had been earmarked by the national government for the Albay province, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said in an interview aired by the government-run dzRB radio station.

Valte said national government agencies have been helping in Albay since evacuation of affected families began.

Earlier, provincial governor Joey Salceda appealed for assistance from the centre as supplies allocated by the local administration were running out.

Around 12,700 families or 55,000 individuals are currently staying in 44 evacuation centres around the province and it has been nearly a month since authorities ordered massive evacuation in the areas close to the base of the volcano.

Since September 15, Mayon has been put on alert level 3 out of a five-stage eruption warning protocol.

Social welfare secretary Corazon Soliman and other government officials offered a ceremonial send-off for the relief caravan. The convoy was carrying water containers, ready to eat meals, food packs, hygiene and family kits and essential medicines from the department of health, among others.

“We expect supplies to make a difference in the lives of the evacuees as they continue living in difficult conditions,” she said.

Mayon residents are living away from their homes due to the alert warning. Some were unable to venture to their farms and most had to cram livestock in areas far from grazing areas. Worse, many have been encountering health problems due to the cramped condition at the evacuations centres.

Alert level 3 also means a six-kilometre danger zone is observed around the volcano, with no civilians permitted except with permission from the police and the military.

According to Soliman, the government has launched cash-for-work programmes so that residents would have minimal disruption in their normal lives.

Salcada said this would be the first time help from the centre has reached the affected people since the volcano eruption alert was sounded almost a month ago.

According to the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Mt. Mayon continues to show signs of imminent eruption as the area around the crater continues to deform, indicating a steady build-up of magma. “The edifice remains inflated compared to baseline measurements,” the agency said in a Saturday bulletin.

The affected people are being housed in 48 evacuation centres in the municipalities of Camalig, Guinobatan, Malilipot, Santo Domingo and Daraga as well as the cities of Ligao and Tabaco.

Mayon underwent a more than a minute-long eruption that spewed ash into the atmosphere last May 2013.

The volcano’s most destructive eruption was in February 1814 when 2,200 people perished.

Salcada said the local disaster management authorities are aiming for zero casualties in the event of the volcano erupting now.