By Jel Santos Following the eruption of Taal Volcano, the Philippine Charity Sweepstake Office (PCSO) on Monday announced that it was targeting to distribute 5, 000 N95 respiratory masks and 3, 300 grocery packs at evacuation sites in Batangas by Tuesday, January 14. People trooped to different medical stores in Bambang St, Manila as they try to buy face mask or N95 mask that they will use to avoid inhaling volcanic ash. Supplies of face masks ran out in many stores in Metro Manila and nearby provinces in the south as Taal Volcano in Batangas continued to spew ash. (Mark Balmores / MANILA BULLETIN) PCSO General Manager Royina Marzan-Garma said they will go to the evacuation sites in Batangas to provide the eruption-affected residents with N95 respiratory masks. “We are targeting to go to evacuation sites to distribute 5, 000 N95 respiratory masks to the residents on January 14. We will also provide 3, 300 grocery packs to them,” she said. “Like what I’ve said before, we want people to feel that they have a government that they could rely on in times of calamities or difficult times like this,” Garma added. Because of the high demand of respiratory masks, prices soared in CALABARZON and Metro Manila. Garma said that the agency was also eyeing to distribute respiratory masks to nearby areas affected by the ashfall. “The PCSO is also planning to distribute respiratory masks to nearby areas which have been also affected by the ashfall,” she said. Thousands of residents dwelling near the Taal Volcano in Talisay, Batangas have been evacuated since Sunday after it started spewing lava and ash. According to the Department of Health, volcanic ashfall is one of the major health hazards caused by a volcanic eruption. “A person who is exposed may suffer from eye, nose and throat irritation, difficulty in breathing, cough, bronchitis-like illness and minor skin problems.”