By Vanne Elaine Terrazola Senate President Pro-Tempore Ralph Recto has sought the approval of the P30-billion supplemental budget this year to fund the relief and rehabilitation efforts for the communities displaced by the recent Taal Volcano eruption. Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto (MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO) Recto filed on Tuesday Senate Bill No. 1286, days after President Duterte appealed to Congress to pass a supplemental budget of P30 billion to aid those affected by Taal's unrest. In his bill, Recto cited latest reports from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) that the eruption has affected 68,439 families or 271, 278 individuals, with more half of them currently taking shelter in 497 evacuation centers in southern Luzon. Lockdowns have being implemented in several municipalities of Batangas province would also displace "roughly half a million population in affected communities", he said. He also mentioned the impact of the eruption to education, as classes have been suspended, and power distribution to the affected areas; as well as its effect to the operations of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and Clark International Airport. Recto also lamented the damage to agricultural lands and fishing areas, particularly in his bailiwick Batangas. "These losses, however, only foreshadow the economic and financial costs of the eruption, particularly in terms of local tourism losses; reconstruction and rehabilitation requirements; and healthcare, evacuation and relief operations costs, which is expected to reach tens of billions of pesos," Recto noted. Under his bill, the P30 billion shall be used exclusively to augment aid, relief, resettlement, rehabilitation, reconstruction and livelihood programs and projects for the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption. The proposed fund shall be sourced from the available funds in the National Treasury, and the Department of Budget and Management shall release to the implementing agencies in accordance with the approval of the President of the Philippines who may take into consideration the recommendation of the NDRRMC. The bill proposes that the supplemental budget the shall be released and obligated from when it is signed into law, until December 31, 2022. Implementing agencies should provide the details of activities and/or projects as part of the information posted on their respective transparency seals required under relevant laws and regulations, the bill stated. Taal Volcano erupted last January 12 and since then remained in Alert Level 4, with experts warning of a possible hazardous explosion within the next few hours or days.