Gov’t aid to Taal Volcano eruption victims now at P27-M — NDRRMC

MANILA, Philippines — More than P27 million worth of aid were given to thousands of families affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) said Saturday.

In a situation report at 6 a.m., the NDRRMC said the P27,056,685 worth of aid for Taal Volcano victims were sourced from local government units, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Department of Health and the Department of Education.

The Council said 90,533 or 348,563 individuals who are affected by the eruption, are in Batangas, Quezon, Laguna, and Cavite. Of this number, 37,445  families or 137,994 people are being sheltered  in 488 evacuation centers while 38,102 families or 148,271 persons are “served outside evacuation centers.”

Meanwhile, agriculture damage in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, and Cavite has also reached P3,215,788,882, the NDRRMC said.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) earlier reported that they had observed an increase in sulfur dioxide emission in the main crater of Taal Volcano.

Phivolcs said  Alert Level 4 remains hoisted at the volcano, indicating that that hazardous explosive eruption is imminent within hours to days.