MANILA, Philippines (7th UPDATE) – Local government units in and outside of Batangas province are doing their part to help the affected communities and evacuees amid the ongoing eruption of the Taal Volcano.

Here are some initiatives, which includes making and collecting donations, sending relief goods, and assisting in ground operations.

Malabon City

The city government of Malabon is accepting donations at the Oreta Sports Center. 

Quezon City

According to Quezon City DRRM chief Myke Marasigan, a team of 14 personnel was deployed to Tanauan and Sto Tomas, Batangas, on January 14 to provide medical aid, assist in search and rescue operations, and help with damage assessment.

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said 360 blankets, 360 sleeping mats, 300 partition tents, and 2 mobile showers were provided for the evacuees. She also posted a photo of the partition tents in Tanauan.

The city’s Human Milk Bank will also donate 40 100-ml bottles of pasteurized human milk for infants in Batangas evacuation centers. If needed, an additional 200 milk bottles may be provided.

Pasig City

The government of Pasig City will donate P7.5 million in cash and P5 million in food and supplies to the Taal Volcano eruption victims.

City of Manila

The city of Manila is set to donate financial assistance worth P2.5 million to the municipalities of Talisay, Taal, Agoncillo, Lemery, and Laurel, Batangas. The Manila City Council passed a resolution authorizing the release of P500,000 to each municipality, sourced from the city’s local DRRM fund.

Meanwhile, staff members of Manila district hospitals – including Ospital ng Maynila, Sta Ana General Hospital, and Justice Jose Abad General Hospital – have assisted evacuees in Sto. Tomas, Batangas. 

Personnel from the Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Office were also deployed to Laurel town, assisting in evacuation operations.

Manila Mayor Isko Moreno said 1,000 KN90 face masks from the Chinese embassy would be given to the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption.

Moreno is set to give as personal donation his P2 million worth of talent fees from Novuhair and P2 million worth of talent fees from KJA Food Summit Corp to affected families in Batangas province.

San Juan City

San Juan City Mayor Francis Zamora called for donations from his constituents for the Taal Volcano eruptions. In-kind donations may be dropped off at the Bahay Pag-Asa behind the City Hall from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm daily.

Encouraged donations include:

• Blankets and mats
• Mosquito nets
• Bottled/drinking water, water containers
• Food (baby food and milk, biscuits, bread, other ready-to-eat food)
• Medicine (Paracetamol, anti-diarrheals, vitamins for kids and elderly, anti-hypertensives, etc.)
• Toiletries and other hygiene kits (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, bath soap, alcohol, wet wipes, tissue papers or paper towels, diapers, sanitary napkins, etc.)
• Clothes (t-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, shorts, pants, new or disposable underwear, etc.)
• Face masks

The city’s DRRM council also enacted a resolution transferring P2 million from San Juan’s local DRRM fund to the province of Batangas. It is up for approval by the city council.

Taguig City

The Taguig Rescue Team and City Social Welfare and Development Office delivered bottled water, N95 masks, hygiene kits, and family food packs to evacuees.

Taguig City firetrucks distributed water to residents of Barangay Kaybagal Central in Tagaytay City.

Muntinlupa City

The city of Muntinlupa donated P3 million to the municipalities of Talisay, Laurel, and Agoncillo, and Batangas City to assist victims. The allocation was endorsed by Mayor Jimmy Fresnedi, and was enacted by the city council. 

The Muntinlupa City Protective Service Cluster also met with Talisay City Mayor Gerry Natanauan to assist in rescue and relief operations.

The city’s DRRM officials also visited the incident command post at Fernando Air Base in Lipa City to coordinate relief efforts.

TINGNAN: Mga ipamamahaging relief goods mula sa Pamahalaang Lungsod ng Muntinlupa para sa mga biktima ng pagputok ng Bulkang Taal pic.twitter.com/4CK2W7UYoV

— OFFICIAL MUNTINLUPA (@OFFICIALMUNTI) January 14, 2020

The city government of Muntinlupa is still open to accepting donations through its Social Services Department.

Parañaque City

A donation hub has been set up by the Parañaque City DRRMC for people who wish to provide relief goods for the Taal Volcano eruption victims.

The donation hub is located at the Auxiliary Rescue Base across the city hall compound, and is receiving donations beginning January 15, from 9 am to 4 pm.

Makati City 

Makati Mayor Abby Binay ordered the deployment of the following to Bauan, Batangas:

• one super tanker
• one chemical fire truck
• two advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) vehicles
• mobile clinic
• two penetrator fire trucks
• water filtration system
• mobile shower
• vacuum tanker
• generator sets
• mobile kitchen
• jerry cans

The items will be sent on Sunday, January 19.

As a personal donation, Binay also donated 1,000 mats, pails, and dippers to the evacuees. 

Makati will also deploy an impounding vehicle to assist in rescuing trapped animals. The vehicle has 8 cages that can contain up to 24 medium-sized dogs.

The city Veterinary Services Department will also provide dog and cat food, vitamins, antibiotics, and antiseptic solutions to the Batangas Provincial Veterinary Office.

Batangas

Donations to Batangas can be dropped off at the Provincial Sports Complex in Bolbok, Batangas City.

Cash donations may be coordinated with Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office head Joy Montalbo at +639209457654.

Cavite 

Cavite has declared a state of calamity so it can release funds for some 15,000 Batangueños who are in evacuation centers in the town of Alfonso and the cities of Tagaytay and Dasmariñas.

Carmona, Cavite

The municipality of Carmona, as well as some civil society and nonprofit organizations in the town, gave relief goods to Taal Volcano eruption victims at the Mendez-Nuñez Evacuation Centers and in Bauan, Batangas.

The municipal government is still accepting donations, which may be coursed through the Carmona Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) at (046) 430-3009.

Carmona residents who have taken in evacuees from Batangas may also go to their barangay hall and be listed for an interview with social workers so that they can get  assistance from the local government.

Alfonso, Cavite

Alfonso Mayor Randy Salamat is asking for support amid the influx of evacuees from Batangas.

Relief goods may be dropped off at the municipal hall of Alfonso, and donors may contact Municipal Social Welfare and Development head Gina Vedan at +639178031253.

San Pablo City, Laguna

In-kind donations may be coursed through the Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) of San Pablo. Donors may coordinate with SK Chairperson and the federation officer. These donations will be collected and transported to the Provincial SK Federation Chapter in Laguna for the massive donation drive on Wednesday, January 15.  

Ilocos Norte

On Thursday, January 16, the provincial government of Ilocos Norte donated canned goods for over 2000 families, 480 bottles of mineral water, 300 N95 face masks, and an undisclosed amount of financial aid to the families in Batangas affected by the Taal Volcano eruption.

Davao City

The city government of Davao is accepting in-kind donations, which may be dropped off at Task Force Davao headquarters, Sta Ana Wharf. Donors may also contact 09992271111. 

Zamboanga City

The Zamboanga City DRRM Council passed a resolution allocating financial assistance worth P5 million to the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption.

The money will be sourced from the local disaster fund’s 30% quick response fund.

P1 million will be allocated to the province of Batangas while P4 million will be prorated to other affected local government units depending on the number of affected families. The City Social Welfare and Development Office will determine the specific allocation.

Does your local government unit have initiatives to help the victims of the Taal Volcano eruption? Send us the details for inclusion in this list. – Rappler.com