Batangas shifts to rehab

Credit to Author: Tempo Desk| Date: Mon, 27 Jan 2020 10:31:17 +0000

FIREMEN hose down the facade of the municipal hall in Talisay, Batangas, two weeks after nearby Taal Volcano erupted. A major explosion of Taal Volcano no longer appeared imminent, and authorities partially lifted a mass evacuation order, but warned residents should still remain ready to flee. (AFP)

BATANGAS CITY – The Batangas provincial government has started shifting to the more challenging phase of relief and rehabilitation as approximately 22,000 houses were damaged and thousands of families were virtually left reliant on assistance for their food and other basic needs due to the devastation wrought by the Taal Volcano eruption.

Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas said that while almost 50 percent of the evacuees have returned to their homes yesterday after the alert level of the volcano was lowered to Level 3 from Level 4 last Sunday, most of them would really start from scratch because their means of livelihood were gone.

Mandanas was referring to the displaced families whose means of living are farming, livestock, and fishing.

“The rumblings of Taal Volcano may soon be over but the adverse effects of the eruption to thousands of Batangueño families continue. They need the help of the government and that is the reason why we have been mapping out plans in order to help them stand back on their feet,” Mandanas said.

Mandanas said that the returning evacuees would need food and drinking water supply in the coming days since it is expected that most of them, particularly the poor, lost everything to the eruption.

The 22,000 families who lost their homes, according to Mandanas, would also need help in rebuilding their houses.

Mandanas said that these families who lost their homes and opted to remain at evacuation centers, along with those who returned to their homes, must be continuously fed by the government.

This is aside from the damaged bridges and roads and other infrastructure like school buildings which were damaged due to volcanic quakes. Massive cleanup should also be done for the communities that suffered the brunt of the tons of ashes dumped by the volcano.

“Ang mga Batangueño ay mayayabang. Ayaw nilang umaasa but at this point, they need help to start and soon, with the help of the government and the private sector, I am sure that we will all rise up from this challenge,” said Mandanas.

The initial plan, according to Mandanas, is to give R3,000 to R6,000 cash for each of the families affected by the Taal Volcano eruption. The amount that would be given depends on the extent of impact caused by the eruption.

Based on their data, Mandanas said that there are 200,000 families affected in Batangas. He said the cash assistance will be properly documented in the spirit of transparency. The cash
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