The government is ready to provide prompt disaster response and relief following the phreatomagmatic eruption of Taal Volcano, President Duterte assured the nation Thursday.
But before issuing such statement, the President made light of the latest natural disaster and suggested he might place a cap on the volcano's crater.
"Dumaan man kami kanina. Kaunti man lang ang ko siguro lagyan ko lang ng cap iyong butas. Taal na 'yan (We passed by it earlier. It had a few... maybe I put a cap on Taal's mouth)," he said during a press conference following the inauguration of a new railway extension project in Antipolo City Thursday.
The President made the comments in jest when asked about his message to the concerned local government units and the people affected by Taal Volcano's latest activity. On whether he would hold a command conference, Duterte said this was not yet necessary.
Duterte, known for his vulgar comments and jokes, later turned serious and assured the public about the government's readiness to address the latest calamity.
"There is always an exigency measure of government," he said. "We will raise the alert on the level that it should," he said.
Taal Volcano earlier spewed a kilometer-high phreatomagmatic plume Thursday afternoon, prompting authorities to raise its alert status and recommend the evacuation of two nearby communities. The eruption lasted for five minutes.
For now, Duterte claimed the incident was not a "grave concern for us." But if the situation escalates, he assured the concerned communities about the government's response and relief efforts.
"Now is just --- it's just a rambling and it's spewing --- I don't know if it's really the ashes. Apektado daw tayo (We are supposedly affected) but it's not really a grave concern for us at this time," he said.
"Maybe it will degenerate into something bad. By that time, you will know. Nandiyan na lahat, nakaposisyon na 'yong ano. Iyang mga line ng DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) (Everything is there, it's prepositioned, the line of the DSWD)," he added.