Muntinlupa Rep. Biazon delivers 1,000 relief packs to Batangas
Published Jan 16, 2020 12:00 am
By Jonathan Hicap
Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon delivered relief packs to Batangas to help victims of the eruption of Taal Volcano that occurred on Jan. 12.
Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon (2nd from R) turns over 1,000 relief packs containing N95 masks, canned goods and sleeping mats to Batangas 3rd District Rep. Maitet Collantes (2nd from L) in Tanauan City for victims of the Taal Volcano eruption. Also in photo are Collantes' husband, former Rep. Sonny Collantes, and son King Collantes. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Ruffy Biazon/MANILA BULLETIN)
Biazon and his team brought 1,000 relief packs to a collection facility in Tanauan City, represented by Batangas Rep. Maitet Collantes. Each bag contained assorted canned goods, N95 masks, and sleeping mats.
“In consultation with Congresswoman Collantes, we decided to just leave our relief goods at their collection facility for the planned distribution together with other donations. I defer to the local officials who would know better on how to distribute,” Biazon told Manila Bulletin.
“It’s important for them to strategize and manage the resources at hand because the duration of the calamity is uncertain. They also don’t know how long the people will be displaced. Right now there is an outpouring of support from many people, the important thing is how to manage it."
Collantes’ third district of Batangas consists of areas around Taal Volcano. These are Tanauan City, Sto. Tomas, Talisay, Agoncillo, Malvar, Balete, Alitagtag, Cuenca, Laurel, Mataas na Kahoy, San Nicolas, and Teresita.
Meanwhile, Biazon defended the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) against accusations about the agency’s alleged lack of effort in disseminating information regarding Taal Volcano’s volcanic activity on Jan. 12.
“So far, I think that Phivolcs has responded appropriately and in a timely manner, particularly on the raising of alert levels. Accurate prediction of a volcanic eruption has not been achieved with 100 percent accuracy even in first-world countries, so I think it would not be fair to expect Phivolcs to be able to do it. But we should look at the experience of this Taal eruption as an opportunity to determine where we can improve and put resources to make the improvements happen,” he said.
“There are lessons to be learned in this calamity, particularly on how government responds to this type of disaster. The last time we had a similar disaster was 1991 during the eruption of Pinatubo. Even the later eruptions of Mayon were different.”
Biazon also said “the mandatory evacuation ordered by Phivolcs should be heeded because it has scientific basis to expect that a destructive eruption may occur. This is based on indicators such as frequency of earthquakes and the fissures forming on the ground.”
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that as of Jan. 16, there are 14,918 families or 65,184 persons affected by the Taal eruption in Batangas and Cavite.
Of these, 12,370 families or 53,832 individuals are staying in 244 evacuation centers in Alitagtag, Balayan, Batangas City, Bauan, Calaca, Calatagan, Lian, San Pascual, Sto. Tomas, and Tuy in Batangas, and Alfonso and Tagaytay City in Cavite. Damage to agriculture in Batangas and Cavite is about P74.54 million, the NDRRMC added in its report.
Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon (2nd from R) turns over 1,000 relief packs containing N95 masks, canned goods and sleeping mats to Batangas 3rd District Rep. Maitet Collantes (2nd from L) in Tanauan City for victims of the Taal Volcano eruption. Also in photo are Collantes' husband, former Rep. Sonny Collantes, and son King Collantes. (Photo courtesy of Rep. Ruffy Biazon/MANILA BULLETIN)
Biazon and his team brought 1,000 relief packs to a collection facility in Tanauan City, represented by Batangas Rep. Maitet Collantes. Each bag contained assorted canned goods, N95 masks, and sleeping mats.
“In consultation with Congresswoman Collantes, we decided to just leave our relief goods at their collection facility for the planned distribution together with other donations. I defer to the local officials who would know better on how to distribute,” Biazon told Manila Bulletin.
“It’s important for them to strategize and manage the resources at hand because the duration of the calamity is uncertain. They also don’t know how long the people will be displaced. Right now there is an outpouring of support from many people, the important thing is how to manage it."
Collantes’ third district of Batangas consists of areas around Taal Volcano. These are Tanauan City, Sto. Tomas, Talisay, Agoncillo, Malvar, Balete, Alitagtag, Cuenca, Laurel, Mataas na Kahoy, San Nicolas, and Teresita.
Meanwhile, Biazon defended the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) against accusations about the agency’s alleged lack of effort in disseminating information regarding Taal Volcano’s volcanic activity on Jan. 12.
“So far, I think that Phivolcs has responded appropriately and in a timely manner, particularly on the raising of alert levels. Accurate prediction of a volcanic eruption has not been achieved with 100 percent accuracy even in first-world countries, so I think it would not be fair to expect Phivolcs to be able to do it. But we should look at the experience of this Taal eruption as an opportunity to determine where we can improve and put resources to make the improvements happen,” he said.
“There are lessons to be learned in this calamity, particularly on how government responds to this type of disaster. The last time we had a similar disaster was 1991 during the eruption of Pinatubo. Even the later eruptions of Mayon were different.”
Biazon also said “the mandatory evacuation ordered by Phivolcs should be heeded because it has scientific basis to expect that a destructive eruption may occur. This is based on indicators such as frequency of earthquakes and the fissures forming on the ground.”
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported that as of Jan. 16, there are 14,918 families or 65,184 persons affected by the Taal eruption in Batangas and Cavite.
Of these, 12,370 families or 53,832 individuals are staying in 244 evacuation centers in Alitagtag, Balayan, Batangas City, Bauan, Calaca, Calatagan, Lian, San Pascual, Sto. Tomas, and Tuy in Batangas, and Alfonso and Tagaytay City in Cavite. Damage to agriculture in Batangas and Cavite is about P74.54 million, the NDRRMC added in its report.