Duterte leads nation in aiding Taal victims
Credit to Author: Jan Arcilla| Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2020 16:29:23 +0000
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and other key officials on Tuesday visited and checked the situation of more than 1,214 families affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano who are taking refuge in Batangas City.
The President led the discussion on how to address and mitigate issues that the country is facing, especially with the possibility of Taal Volcano erupting again anytime soon.
Go, whom President Duterte mentioned in his short message as someone who “hails from Batangas,” also participated in the relief operations and in the situational briefing.
During the visit, the President led the ceremonial distribution of calamity aid that consisted of food packs and cash assistance for every family from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, hygiene kits from the Department of Health and food items from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office.
Livelihood and financial assistance from the government were also turned over by the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the benefit of affected farmers and fisherfolk.
During the briefing, the President ordered simultaneous constructions of “strong” evacuation centers and hopes that the construction will be finished before his term ends in 2022.
“I hope that you can finish it before my term ends… I want projects that are doable and can be finished during my term,” he said.
Seeking to address the vulnerability of the country to the impacts of climate change and natural as well as human-made disasters, Go filed recently a bill providing for mandatory evacuation centers in all cities, provinces and municipalities nationwide.
Known as “An Act Establishing a Mandatory Evacuation Center in all Cities, Provinces and Municipalities, Appropriating Funds Therefor,” Senate Bill (SB) 1228 provides for the establishment of an evacuation center in every city, province and municipality throughout the country.
Meanwhile, at least 12 business establishments in Manila were charged with alleged profiteering, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) announced on Wednesday, as demand surged because of the eruption of Taal Volcano.
During the weekly economic news briefing in Malacañang, Trade Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said the DTI had already issued notices of violation to 12 of 17 stores in Bambang, Manila that were found selling overpriced face masks and other medical supplies.
She added that the erring businesses would be charged with administrative and criminal cases for violating the Consumer Act and other pertinent laws.
Castelo said selling overpriced face masks was a form of profiteering, which is punishable with imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine ranging from P5,000 to P1 million under the Price Act.
She added that retailers could not defy a prize freeze on face masks and medical supplies that was imposed by the DoH.
Prices of N95 masks should range from P45 to P105, and disposable face masks from P1.10 to P8.
The DTI said drug and medical stores committed that they would not increase their prices for N95, surgical and other similar masks.
On a brighter note, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded zero looting and other related crimes since the Taal Volcano eruption, its officer in charge Lt. Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa said also on Wednesday.
Gamboa added that 278 policemen were affected by the eruption and PNP would give them P10,000 each.
Interior Secretary Eduardo Año has directed the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) to clear roads affected by the eruption.
A total of 531 fire personnel, 147 firetrucks, 39 Emergency Medical Service personnel and nine ambulances from BFP-Calabarzon were deployed to the affected areas, Año said.
Calabarzon groups the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon.
The Manila Times will be accepting donations for those affected by the Taal Volcano eruption.
As of January 15, almost 50,000 persons from Batangas and Cavite have been evacuated and their immediate needs include bottled water, ready-to-eat foods, clothes, blankets, towels, toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, bath and detergent soap, shampoo, sanitary pads and diapers),medicines and face masks.
Donations in kind may be dropped at The Manila Times Publishing Corp., 2/F Sitio Grande Building, 409 A. Soriano Avenue, Intramuros, Manila
Interested donors may reach The Times at 8524-5664 local 109.
Ayala Corp. is spearheading relief efforts for victims of the eruption.
It initially dispatched 30 water tankers containing a total of 248 cubic meters of water to 19 evacuation centers in Batangas and Laguna.
These have been thrice refilled by Laguna Water since Monday.
A total of 10,000 evacuees availed of the free drinking water from the tankers.
Manila Water, in coordination with the Batangas Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (Batangas PDRRMO), continues to provide clean drinking water to evacuation centers in the town of Santo Tomas, Tanauan City, Lipa City, Batangas City, San Pascual, San Luis at Cuenca, including Tagaytay City and Alfonso in Cavite.
Manila Water Co. Inc. Foundation also distributed 2,000 five-gallon bottles of drinking water in SantaTeresita and Bauan, Batangas for evacuees from the towns of Agoncillo, San Nicolas, Laurel, Taal and Talisay.
Globe Telecom has set up five free calls and charging stations in Cavite (Barangay Amuyong Covered Court, Bagong Tubig Barangay Hall, Barangay Kaybagal South Old Rehab Center, and Luksihin National HS sa Barangay Luksuhin) and Batangas (Santo Tomas City Evacuation Center Poblacion 3).
Globe is also ready to set up additional stations if necessary to ensure that people stay ‘connected’ during this time of calamity.
It continues to provide free and unlimited Go WiFi internet connection in all four terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), which has canceled thousands of flights because of hazards posed by volcanic ashes from Taal Volcano.
The AC Health is also fully prepared to give medical assistance to those who have been affected by the volcanic eruption.
Branches of Generika Drugstore, except for those in immediate danger zones in Batangas and Cavite, remained open until January 13, 2020 to extend assistance
Ayala Group has been coordinating with concerned local government units in order to assure aid for affected communities.
According to the Philippine Disaster Resilience Foundation (PDRF), affected communities urgently need donations including N95 face masks, food, mats, hygiene kits, gensets and generous amounts of drinking water.
Megaworld Foundation has also organized relief operations for more than 400 families affected by the calamity.
Ayala Malls in Metro Manila and Calabarzon waived overnight parking fee and provided free Wi-Fi connection on January 13.
Megaworld Corp. has been collecting relief goods to be distributed to evacuation centers in Nasugbu, Batangas.
Also on Wednesday, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd ordered the release of an initial P72.3 million in emergency assistance to the victims of the eruption.
With a reports from CATHERINE S. VALENTE, ANNA LEAH E. GONZALES, DARWIN PESCO, JAVIER JOE ISMAEL AND WILLIAM B. DEPASUPIL