By Charissa Luci-Atienza
The number of persons displaced by Taal Volcano's phreatic eruption in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) region has increased to over 70,000, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.
(AP Photo/Aaron Favila/DSWD/MANILA BULLETIN)
The DSWD-Disaster Response Operations and Monitoring Information Center (DROMIC) on Friday night reported that 70,413 persons or 16, 174 families have taken refuge in 300 evacuation centers, while 14, 274 persons or 3,586 families are not staying in the evacuation centers.Â
It reported that 96,061 persons or 22,472 families have been affected by the disaster, the majority of whom come from Batangas. Of the total number of affected persons, 68,825 come from Batangas or 15,900 families, 11,735 from Cavite or 2,922 families, 7,500 from Laguna or 1,886 families, and 7,001 from Quezon or 1,764 families.Â
The agency also noted the increasing number of people affected by the volcanic eruption. Last Thursday (Jan. 16), the DSWD reported there were 68,638 affected individuals or 15,525 families, while on Wednesday (Jan. 15), there were 57,286 persons or 12,977 families affected.
Following the increasing number of persons affected by the eruption, the DSWD has extended P7.55 million assistance.
The Department earlier assured that more food packs will be provided to the affected families.Â
The DSWD-DROMIC earlier said the DSWD Central Office (CO), Field Offices (FOs), and Natural Resource Operations Center have stockpiles and standby funds amounting to P916.83 million, while the CO and FOs have P250.13 million in standby funds. "Of the said amount, P215,140,512.28 is the available Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the CO, " it said.Â
According to the DSWD-DROMIC, they have stockpiles of 188,594 food packs amounting to P71.886 million, and available food and non-food items amounting to P594.817 million.Â