Malacañang gave assurances on Friday, July 2, that the government is on top of efforts to help communities threatened by a possibly stronger Taal Volcano eruption.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in Taal after the phreatomagmatic eruptions that occurred in Taal Volcano,”Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.

Roque said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Calabarzon has stockpiled P1.4 million worth of food packs and P11 million worth of non-food items.

Earlier, over 14,000 people have been evacuated from towns around Taal Lake, which surrounds the volcano.

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Various government agencies have also been mobilized to conduct relief operations and provide humanitarian aid in case of an escalation in volcanic activity.

The military’s Southern Luzon Command will aid the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils and local government units, said the Palace.

Calabarzon police have been placed on alert and will also coordinate with local governments to help affected residents.

The Philippine Coast Guard, an agency always at the frontlines in relief operations, has deployed vehicles and personnel to its staff in the region.

Malacañang asked communities surrounding the volcano lake to “remain vigilant, take precautionary measures, cooperate with their local authorities should the need for evacuation arise.”

On Thursday, right after Taal Volcano was placed on Alert Level 3 due to its phreatomagmatic eruption, President Rodrigo Duterte made light of the situation and joked that he would just put a “cap” on the volcano’s crater.

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– Rappler.com