Duterte to address ‘challenges of Taal folk’

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to help families affected by the restive Taal Volcano to bring their lives back to normal.

In his speech during the oathtaking of newly appointed government officials in Malacañang on Thursday night, Duterte admitted that a lot is yet to be done, but assured the affected families that the challenges at present they face would be addressed.

“Maramipatalaga (There really is a lot that needs to be done). We have the Taal and you have to look for the money for that. Budgeted na

kasi‘yaneh (The money is already budgeted for this year). And who would ever expect that Taal would blow up at this time... we’ll now address the challenges of the Taal people,” Duterte said.

“Let me reiterate that for this administration, the welfare of our people and the improvement of their lives are of utmost importance,” he added.

On January 20, Duterte called on lawmakers to speed up the passage of the P30- billion supplemental budget that will be earmarked to help displaced residents living near Taal Volcano.

On Tuesday, the President also approved the recommendation to give all 5,448 housing units intended for the military and police in Cavite, Laguna, Batangas and Quezon to the families displaced by the eruption.

The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development said around 6,000 households stand to be affected by the evacuation from a radius of 7 kilometers from the volcano, with the island of Taal itself housing 2,000 families.

Duterte told the military and police to bear with what was happening, saying they would eventually get the housing units for them.

“I’ve been building [ houses],

karamihan (mostly) for the military, but when there is an emergency and when there is a need to provide shelter and there is none, I always ask the military to step aside,” the President said. Batangas govt to focus on tourist spots outside Taal

The Batangas local government, meanwhile, is looking to strengthen tourism sites of the province aside from the Taal Lake and Taal Volcano, as it continues to recover from the recent volcanic eruption.

“Batangas is not only about Taal Lake and [ Taal] Volcano, there’s more to Batangas than just the volcano island,” Batangas Vice Gov. Mark Leviste told reporters on the sidelines of the Batangas Economic Recovery Roundtable briefing last Friday.

Leviste, who also sits as chairman of the province’s Committee on Tourism, Culture and Arts, said they are particularly looking to strengthen the coastal areas of Batangas.

This includes the shores along the municipalities of Nasugbu, Lian, Calatagan, Lobo, San Juan, Mabini and Balayan.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday monitored a “weak steam” from fissure vents along Daang Kastila trail of the restive Taal Volcano in Talisay, Batangas.

In its 8 a.m. bulletin, Phivolcs said a “weak steam” coming out from the fissure vents along the Daang Kastila trail is ongoing.

The trail is used by visitors to actually view the volcano’s main crater.

Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum clarified that the weak steam from the fissure vents along the trail was not the first time it was monitored.

“No. Even the first week of activity we reported the fissure and vents in Daang Kastila,” Solidum told The Manila Times in a text message.

He said the fissure and vents were indications of “satellite and visual observations of steaming.”