Following the unrest of Taal Volcano, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) immediately responded to the affected by sending rescue vehicles and deploying a food truck to assist those who are in need.
On Friday, July 2, PRC said that in order to support the local government units (LGUs) during evacuation, it deployed its 6X6 vehicle together with two ambulance units to the municipalities of Laurel and Agoncillo. A total of 36 volunteers and staff were also mobilized for this operation.
“The Philippine Red Cross is always ready, in fact we have prepositioned some of our supplies, assets and life saving equipment in the four branches of our Red Cross Chapter in Batangas,” PRC Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Senator Richard Gordon said.
“Our experiences with disasters taught us the value of being prepared and how every second counts when lives are at stake,” Gordon added.
PRC said that it continues to assist as two teams for rapid disaster assessment and needs analysis were sent to the affected communities in Agoncillo and Laurel.
First aid and welfare desk teams were established in identified evacuation centers.
On July 1, PRC immediately deployed a food truck from the PRC National Headquarters to Batangas to provide ready to eat hot meals on wheels to those who are still in evacuation centers.
The PRC’s food truck will go around the affected cities in ten days, capable of serving 300 individuals per day.
The food truck is part of the Welfare Services program “Hot Meals on Wheels” to provide ready-to-eat meals to people affected by disasters, calamities, and conflicts.
“Kaagad natin ipinadala ang ating Food Truck upang makapaghatid ng pagkain sa mga apektado na nasa evacuation centers (We immediately deployed our Food Truck to we can bring food to those who affected and staying in evacuation centers),” Gordon said.
Gordon assured that the PRC will continue to assist PRC Batangas and other affected places. “More help is on the way,” he said.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on July 1 has raised the alert status over Taal Volcano to Alert Level 3 after it generated a kilometer-high phreatomagmatic plume.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/01/alert-level-3-raised-over-taal-volcano/
In a footage released by Phivolcs on July 2, Taal is seen emitting steam plumes from 5:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. This upwelling of hot volcanic fluids within the volcano’s main crater has generated three-kilometer high steam plumes.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2021/07/02/watch-taal-volcano-emits-3-km-high-steam-plumes/
The PRC continues to monitor the situation through its 24/7 Operations Center and the 143 volunteers on the ground who continue to report.
READ more updates on the Taal Volcano situation here