LEGAZPI CITY -- Even after a year when super typhoon Reming battered the Bicol region specifically in typhoon ravaged Albay province, the Italian government is unceasingly helping the poor stricken victims of the calamities to alleviate the status of the people here.

        Italian Ambassador Rebens Fedele told Bicol Mail that the Italian government is currently implementing a year-round assistance to provincial government of Albay specifically to typhoon victims as part of recovery program.

        Fedele who came to Albay incognito “face-to-face” interact with the typhoon victims in various municipalities here presently staying in various evacuation camps to personally assess and evaluate the conditions of the displaced families to be able to come up with essential assistance.

        Fedele opted to act as simple man without security officers for him to find out the real condition of the displaced families here.

        He told Bicol Mail that the Italian government will prioritize to assist the fishermen, coconut farmers and housing programs for homeless families here.

        “The Italian government decided to do a program for people gravely affected of super typhoon Reming. The remains of destruction is very heartbreaking especially in the towns with massive lava and big rocks sprouted in the residential areas like Guinobatan, Daraga, Sto. Domingo and Legazpi City,” He said.

        At least P30 million budget was allocated by the Italian government this year in typhoon ravaged Albay province while an extension office was also put up at the PDCC building to supervise the implementation of the projects.

        Sergio Quattrocchi, project manager of the Cooperazione Italiana or Italian Cooperation office also told Bicol Mail that his office through the Italian government is implementing four major projects in Albay

        The on the pipeline projects now are construction of houses for the homeless, livelihood for women organizations working in the handicraft or novelty items, coconut rehab and boat making.

        The agency is also working closely with the Philippine Coconut Authority in pursuit to help out the coconut farmers. “We’re trying to support the local economy of Albay by utilizing available materials as another source of income by the typhoon victims. The fishermen are also given an opportunity for them to churn out the boat wherein our office commits to give it out for free for the fishers,” he said.

        Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay Provincial Public Safety Management Office told The Manila Times that the Italian government had been extensively helping the provincial government for over a decade now.

        In fact the office of the APSEMO was created here, according to Daep, as pilot project on disaster preparedness by the Italian government.

        He said the disaster preparedness and response pilot project at the community level implemented in August l989 to November l992 which was designated to comprehensively improve the disaster preparedness here.

        With the total amount of US$700,000 contribution form the Italian government the program was able to implement the projects focused on the institutional set-up, man power development and enlightenment on disaster management in the province through the strengthening of the provincial disaster coordinating council down to the city, municipal and barangay level.

        All the things with the program achieved during the three-year period was put to test when Mayon suddenly ejected a pyroclastic flow last February 2, l993 towards the southeastward of the volcano which claimed the lives of 80 people and forced 66,000 people to evacuate.

        This made the Albay provincial government and public officials realized the need for an institutional disaster management office. The Italian project established the provincial disaster operation center in l992.

        The center furnished with equipment and support facilities, serves as the hub of disaster management activities here.