LEGAZPI CITY, Albay (PIA) -- For whom the bell tolls.

Aside from calling the faithful to prayer, church bells in five parish churches in the town of Daraga in Albay will be used to warn residents of imminent danger especially near danger zones at the foot of the Mayon volcano.

According to Bim Dineros, chief of the Daraga Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, church bells have been used as early warning to villagers even during the Spanish colonial period. The memorandum of agreement they signed with the parish administrators just formalized the system that will benefit at least 54 barangays in Daraga.

Dineros said the tolling of the bells would prompt residents to evacuate to safer ground within minutes.

Dineros explained that since not all barangays have the resources to establish a community-based warning system, “we involved the Catholic church, along with the other sectors, as part of our holistic disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) approach.”

“We need to establish a community-based warning system yet not all barangays have the resources to have it so we look for what is common, and these are church bells. Some chapels don’t have the big bells but they have improvised bells that can be rung as an emergency warning,” Dineros said.

If a typhoon directly affects Albay and is declared under Signal 2, the parish bells will start ringing. Similarly, if there is an Alert Level 2 volcanic eruption, bells will be rung in affected barangays to prompt residents to prepare for evacuation.

Among the parishes that signed the agreement were: Our Lady of Salvation in Barangay Anislag, San Pedro Calungsod Quasi-Parish in Bascaran, Our Lady of the Assumption in Malabog, Our Lady of the Gate Parish in San Roque, and San Ramon Nonato Parish in Tagas.

Bishop Joel Bailon of the Diocese of Legazpi expressed his approval and support for the agreement that has been sealed.

“I welcome this initiative precisely because it further establishes the positive collaboration that must be there between the Church and the local government, especially in times of emergency and need,” he said.

For his part, Our Lady of Salvation Parish priest Monching Segubiense said: “I join this initiative of the LGU Daraga having known that the province is known for many forms of disasters. I see the need to reestablish a better working relationship and communication with the community so we can inform and prepare there if there are impending disasters.”

Mayon volcano has a long history of eruptions that dates back hundreds of years. Due to this, church bells have been traditionally used to warn people of potential hazards.

Despite its violent eruption on February 1, 1814, an old church bell tower still stands as a witness to the event. The eruption was so severe that it destroyed the entire community of Cagsawa in Daraga, which was situated roughly 11 kilometers away from the volcano.

Over a thousand people lost their lives, including hundreds who sought refuge in the 16th-century Cagsawa church. They were engulfed by the fast-flowing volcanic matter.

The Cagsawa ruins have since become an iconic reminder to Albayanos to make DRRM a part of their daily lives.

Living every day under the shadow of a beautiful yet dangerous volcano, it's essential to prioritize safety and preparedness, Dineros said. (PIA 5/Albay)