By CHARISSA M. LUCI-ATIENZA
The number of persons displaced by the Taal Volcano’s phreatic eruption in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon (CALABARZON) Region increased to over 70,000, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said.
The DSWD-Disaster Response Operations and Monitoring Information Center (DROMIC) on Friday night reported that a total of 70,413 persons or 16,174 families have taken refuge in 300 evacuation centers.
On Thursday, it reported there were 57,286 persons or 12,977 families who have been displaced by the January 12 volcanic eruption.
In its report as of January 17, the DSWD-DROMIC said 14,274 persons or 3,586 families are not staying in the evacuation centers.
The agency also noted the increasing number of people affected by the volcanic eruption.
The DROMIC reported that 96,061 persons or 22,472 families have been affected by the January 12 disaster, majority of whom come from Batangas.
Of the total number of affected persons, 68,825 come from Batangas or 15,900 families; 11,735 from Cavite or 2,922; 7,500 from Laguna or 1,886; and 7,001 from Quezon or 1,764 families.
Last Thursday, January 16, the DSWD reported that the number of affected families pegged at 15,525 or 68,638 individuals.
Following the increasing number of affected persons affected by the Taal Volcano phreatic eruption, the DSWD has extended R7.55 million assistance.
The Department earlier assured the more food packs will be provided to the affected families.
The DSWD-DROMIC earlier noted that the DSWD Central Office (CO), Field Offices (FOs), and Natural Resource Operations Center (NROC) have stockpiles and standby funds amounting to P916.83 million.
It said the DSWD Central Office (CO) and FOs has a total of P250,130,936.99 standby funds.
“Of the said amount, P215, 140,512.28 is the available Quick Response Fund (QRF) in the CO,” it said.
According to the DSWD-DROMIC, they have stockpiles of 188, 594 food packs amounting to P71.886 million, and available food and non-food items amounting to P594.817 million.