That was a real dragon country. It was night time when the Red Cross truck went to the countryside of Casiguran to distribute dust masks. The almost full moon made banana and coconut leaves silvery… and the gray volcanic ash snow-white.

Every barrio that we passed, we gave out boxes of masks. The air was thick with ashes and smelled of rotten eggs or burning tires. Sulfur.

Most farming villages were advised to get ready for evacuation anytime. That means packing up personal essentials, chickens, and pigs.

Schools outside the 4-kilometer radius automatically prepared to receive evacuees should the need arise. Back in the Red Cross Headquarters, we packed rice, canned sardines, and instant noodles for distribution.