THE government still has a P1.08 billion stand-by fund to assist people who were affected by Taal Volcano’s recent spewing of toxic fumes, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
In an online press briefing last Monday, Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista disclosed the amount is already available in their field offices as well as their National Resource and Operation Center.
Specifically for their central office, he said they have a P209.28-million fund as well as 294,272 food packs to be distributed to communities affected by the recent activity of the volcano.
Bautista noted the resources will be deployed in local government units (LGU) which will need help from the national government for its Taal Volcano response.
“If one region will need aid, for example, they exhausted their stock of food and non-food items, our nearest field office will help them,” Bautista said.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) hoisted Alert Level 3 for Taal volcano due to its magmatic unrest, which could cause a explosive eruption.
Face mask donations
Last Sunday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported 3,141 people were evacuated from the “high-risk” towns of Agoncillo, Laurel, San Nicolas and Lemery in Batangas.
The Metro Manila Council donated 7,500 doses of Covid-19 vaccines for the evacuees to increase their protection against the illness.
Concerned over the exposure of the people in Batangas to the toxic materials from Taal volcano, the Lipa Archdiocesan Social Action Commission (Lasac) appealed for the donation of more N95 face masks.
“We will continue to appeal for help as we expect that, in the coming days, the estimated number of internally displaced persons will continue increasing,” Lasac Communications and Advocacy Officer Renbrandt Tangonan said in a radio interview.
Currently the Archdiocese of Lipa has stockpiled an initial 5,000 pieces of N95 masks. Of these, 1,655 pieces have been donated to the municipalities of Agoncillo and Laurel.
Labor impact
In a related development, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is closely monitoring the impact of Taal’s activity on workers.
Labor spokesman Rolly Francia said they hope the development will have minimal impact on the labor sector since it has yet to affect major industrial zones.
As of Monday, he said their field office in Region 4-A had yet to report any labor displacement from the recent activity of Taal.
“But if and when our field office in region 4-A recommends the provision of assistance to the evacuees…[we] will…provide accordingly,” Francia said.
Image courtesy of AP/Aaron Favila