DILG reminds LGUs to ensure swift response amid Taal eruption

MANILA, Philippines — Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday reminded local chief executives, especially of Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon, to be physically present in their respective areas and ensure “immediate and timely disaster response.”

This is after Taal Volcano spewed steam, ash and small rocks on Sunday, prompting the government to order the evacuation of residents in nearby villages and ask tourists to leave the Tagaytay, Batangas and Cavite areas as precaution for an imminent eruption.

Año called on all provincial governors and mayors to immediately convene their respective local disaster risk reduction and management council to respond to the situation.

They must also activate their incident management teams, operation centers and other disaster response teams, he added.

“The Department of the Interior and Local Government will closely monitor the actions taken by the LGUs in accordance with Operation Listo protocols,” Año said in a statement.

The DILG chief said he has also placed the Philippine National Police on “full disaster response status” and that they are already implementing mandatory evacuation in the affected areas.

Search and rescue assets in Calabarzon police have also been mobilized.

All PNP Regional Directors in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and the National Capital Region have also been directed to immediately activate their respective Disaster Incident Management Task Group, Regional Reactionary Standby Force, and Search and Rescue assets for immediate deployment, as needed by conditions in their respective areas,” Año said.

Personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection are also currently assisting the police and local government units (LGUs) in conducting mandatory evacuation of affected individuals, he added.

The public are likewise urged to donate clean drinking water, food, emergency medicines, and other basic essentials such as tents, mats, blankets, water containers and cooking pots for individuals staying in evacuation centers.

LGUs are also directed to conduct rapid damage assessment and needs analyses, as well as infrastructure audit of all buildings, houses, roads, bridges and other critical facilities in their areas.

Taal Volcano had  a magmatic eruption early Monday, hours after spewing a giant ash column, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

Phivolcs earlier raised the danger level to 4 late on Sunday, meaning a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours or days.