Around 200 families have already been relocated to new housing units provided by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development in a National Housing Authority site in Ibaan, Batangas.
In total, there are 5,448 housing units in Batangas, Laguna, Cavite and Quezon that will be turned over to the families displaced by the Taal Volcano eruption (over 32,000 of them according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office of Batangas). However, it will take around two more months to install water and electricity and fix damages.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has since downgraded Taal Volcano to Alert Level 2 with weaker emission of plumes and sulfur dioxide and only 41 volcanic quakes. While volcanic activities continue to wane, the possibility of phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes and ashfall can still occur.
These efforts are beneficial in helping victims regain some semblance of their life before the eruption. However, many other families and individuals are still experiencing the devastating impact. Recent news showed that some areas in Subic Ilaya have been submerged in water due to tremors and ash piles caused by the eruptions. In this light, more relief operations should be instigated and continued to push continuous efforts in alleviating the damages.
Header photo courtesy of Bullit Marquez from Inquirer.net
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