President Rodrigo Roa Duterte was assured by different departments and agencies of the strict observations and immediate response to the situation of Taal Volcano during his regular Talk to the People program on Monday night, Mar. 29, following the volcano’s recent eruption.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Usec. Renato Solidum, the recent explosion on Saturday was weaker compared to Taal’s eruption in January 2020 where it recorded 39 death cases and major casualties.
Regardless, Solidum still placed the area in Alert Level 3. It will be reduced to Alert Level 2 only when Taal volcanic activities subside.
“Sa kasalukuyan, pwede pong sustain lang sa Alert Level 3, or kung tuloy-tuloy na humupa starting today, walang explosion, pwede tayong magbaba ng alerto within two weeks,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already pre-positioned over P8 million worth of food and non-food items for affected residents in Batangas and Cavite and prepared extra measures and courses of action for worst cases.
“Bilang patuloy na pagtugon sa pangangailangan ng ating mga kababayang apektado sa pagputok ng Bulkang Taal, ito po ang aming mga aktibidades at aming gagawin. Una, mag-i-install tayo ng advance satellite office sa Provincial Operations Center upang ma-monitor ang sitwasyon sa ground at mapangasiwaan ang relief operations kung kailanganin. Depende po ito kung tataas ang alert level,” DSWD Secretary Rolando Bautista said.
On community response and assistance, immediate actions and personnel deployment were also done by the offices of the Department of Local Government (DILG) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD).
The Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III also reminded affected residents about health and safety measures.
“Nananawagan ang DOH sa ating mga kababayan na nakatira malapit sa Taal Volcano na manatiling alerto at sumunod sa mga anunsyo ng inyong lokal na pamahalaan. Para sa respiratory care o pangangalaga sa baga sa panahon ng pagputok ng Bulkang Taal, mangyaring manatili lamang muna sa bahay hangga’t sa maaari. Kung sakaling kinakailangan talagang lumikas at magtungo sa evacuation centers, atin pong siguraduhin na ang ating mga minimum public health standards ay masusunod,” Duque said. – Report from Mela Lesmoras/VC – bny
