NDRRMC to issue order to strictly implement lockdown from danger zone in Taal Volcano

January 21, 2020

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRMC) on Tuesday said it will issue a directive to strictly implement lockdown and forced evacuation of residents from danger zone in Taal Volcano.

NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said based on their aerial inspection there are residents who remain within the danger zone.

"Yes, we will release a directive which will include the strict implementation of lockdown and evacuation and the protection of the responders," he said.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said around two percent remain within the danger zone.

"I do not yet have an estimate (number of people still at the danger zone) but they are not too many based on what I saw from the helicopter," he said.

"Two percent yes, only few of them (are still there). Our priority there is the highly vulnerable areas," he added.

Jalad assures there are enough relief goods for the affected population but he noted that the government is addressing health and water sanitations within the evacution centers.

"There are a lot of food. The issue that we urgently see is the need to address the water sanitation and health, especially sanitation because the evacuation centers are just multi-purpose halls. There are not enough toilet facilities," he said.

Based on its latest report, the NDRRMC has recorded a total of 68,439 families or 271,278 persons affected by the Taal volcano eruption in the provinces of Batangas, Laguna, Cavite and Quezon.

Among the affected population, 38,906 families or 148,514 individuals were staying inside 497 evacuation sites, while 22,217 families or 87,141 persons were being served outside evacuation centers. Robina Asido/DMS