By Alexandria San Juan Should the seven-kilometer radius zone within Taal Volcano be put in permanent lockdown, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the government is ready to relocate and provide livelihood programs for the affected residents. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles (SCREENSHOT / RTVM / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) "Basically, we are preparing for the worst. The way this administration, the government works is we try to anticipate everything -- create contingency measures, whatever contingencies may come," Nograles said in a forum in Quezon City on Tuesday. "Given what's been happening to Taal, it may seem that we are headed towards declaring the seven-kilometer radius as something that we can no longer allow the residents to return there," he added. According to Nograles, should President Duterte decided to permanently bar residents living within Taal Volcano's danger zone from returning to their homes, the government is ready to relocate them. Nograles said the government has already identified housing projects in nearby provinces, particularly in Laguna, Cavite, and Bulacan, that are ready to cater 5,000 displaced families. Over 300,000 individuals have been affected byTaal Volcano's phreatic or steam-driven eruption on Jan/ 12, which forced them to evacuate as thick ash blanketed their homes. Some of the evacuees were given the option to return home as the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) downgraded Taal's danger level from Alert Level 4 to Alert Level 3 last Jan. 26. Despite the lowering of Taal’s alert status, the towns of Agoncillo and Laurel in Batangas remain on lockdown as they lie within the seven-kilometer radius of the volcano's main crater. Taal Volcano is also on permanent lockdown which means people are prohibited from entering the area as volcanic hazards may still occur. Nograles gave the assurance that families living in the danger zone that will be displaced will also be given livelihood packages upon relocation. "Kapag ni-relocate natin sila, kasama sa relocation package 'yung livelihood package. Dito na papasok yung mga livelihood programs ng government para sa kanila," he added. (When we relocate them, we will provide them with livelihood packages. This is where the government's livelihood programs for them come in.) "We are ready to relocate them when a decision has been made na hindi na talaga sila pwedeng pabalikin doon (that they are not allowed to return there). We are ready to transfer them to the relocation sites, then give them livelihood.”