By Mario Casayuran Opposition Senator Francis N. Pangilinan threw Tuesday his support for the establishment of a Taal Commission that would solely focus on aiding, rehabilitating, and rebuilding communities affected by the ongoing eruption of Taal Volcano. Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan (Photo from Kiko Pangilinan website / kikopangilinan.com / MANILA BULLETIN) Pangilinan, president of Liberal Party (LP), said government should immediately shift its focus to providing the needs of those affected by the ongoing eruption. ‘’We’re not going in this blindly. Alam na natin ito (We already know this).There have already been several lessons learned from the 1991 Pinatubo eruption. It worked then, it should work now. We just need to adapt it to respond to the current situation,” he pointed out. A P50-billion appropriation would be needed to fund the commission, as filed by Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph G. Recto last Monday, he said. National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) figures show that over half a million people have already been affected. “This is our reality: the Philippines has always been a disaster-prone country. What we need to do is ensure that we are faster in our response, and are quicker to make decisions relevant to the situation. We believe that having a Taal Commission would ensure more cohesive rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts that include not only government and multi-sectoral participation, allowing the people and community to take part,” Pangilinan pointed out. He earlier stressed the importance of a multi-sectoral approach in providing for the needs of the Taal victims. He called on various government agencies to extend assistance, particularly the Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to re-launch a cash-for-work program; educational assistance from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED); emergency leaves as approved by the Civil Service Commission (CSC); food and nutrition assistance, and psycho-social trauma management workshops from the Department of Health (DOH); and temporary shelter and housing from the housing agencies and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), among many others. “This is an all-hands-on-deck situation. Not only the government and the private sector should be involved in the efforts. We also need to treat those affected by the eruption not simply as evacuees and recipients of donation but as active participants in the rebuilding efforts. We need to empower them so that they are able to take part in rebuilding their own lives once given proper assistance,” Pangilinan said. He also called on the government to provide alternative livelihood and funding assistance for farmers and fisherfolk affected by the Taal eruption.