No lockdown in villages inside Taal danger zone

LAKE LIFE | Fish cages in Taal Lake provide livelihood to lakeshore communities in Batangas province. Following Taal Volcano’s eruption on March 26, authorities have advised residents within its danger zone to remain in evacuation centers until Taal calms down. They are, however, allowed to visit their homes and tend to their farm animals and fish cages within a six-hour window to ensure their safety. (Photo by RICHARD A. REYES / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

LUCENA CITY, Quezon, Philippines — Mayor Daniel Reyes of Agoncillo town in Batangas province has dismissed information being passed around that the local government has declared a “lockdown” in two villages within Taal Volcano’s 7-kilometer danger zone following Saturday’s eruption.

“It is not true. What we’ve been strictly implementing is the window hours for affected villagers,” Reyes told the Inquirer in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

Of Agoncillo’s 21 barangays, only Bilibinwang and Banyaga along the edge of Taal Lake are within the danger zone. The two villages can be reached after an eight-minute drive from the town center.

The official Facebook page of Agoncillo government posted Reyes’ quote card that said: “Wala po tayong ipinatutupad na lockdown (We are not enforcing a lockdown).”

“We are only recommending that residents should leave the area temporarily because it is dangerous as of now,” Reyes said.

The Agoncillo local government provided window hours that would allow evacuees to return to their houses from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to check on their property, get some belongings, feed their animals and tend to their fish cages.

Peace and order

Maj. Ronnie Aurellano, Agoncillo police chief, appealed to the public to help authorities in maintaining peace and order during the emergency situation.

“Spreading false information will only add more problems and worries to affected villagers,” Aurellano said, noting that they were investigating and tracing the source of the false information.

“We also have an outpost in the two villages to ensure that no one will stay behind after the window hours period,” Aurellano said.

Reyes said that as of Tuesday noon, the town had 2,250 evacuees compared to the listed 2,120 on Monday. They are sheltered in nine public schools converted into evacuation centers.

He said Dr. Ariel Valencia, director of the Department of Health (DOH) in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) visited the evacuees on Monday and brought assorted medicines.

“So far, no one is getting sick among our evacuees,” Reyes said.

Seeking evacuees

On Monday, Jun France de Villa, Agoncillo disaster risk reduction management office (DRRMO) chief, said the local social welfare office had been tracking down evacuees who might have sought refuge in the houses of their relatives or friends.

Reports said several evacuees also went to the nearby Batangas towns of Alitagtag, Calaca, Sta. Teresita and San Luis; and Tagaytay City in Cavite province.

The local social welfare office posted a public advisory on its Facebook page inviting those outside of evacuation centers to list their names, barangay of origin, phone numbers and present locations.

“They will also be given food, aid, and other assistance,” De Villa said.

In Laurel town as of Tuesday noon, 488 families composed of 1,713 people had been staying in evacuation centers, Judy Ann Miranda, Laurel DRRMO staff, said in a text message.

At least 510 families (2,009 people) have sought shelter outside of government evacuation centers and are staying with their relatives and friends, she added.

Laurel also has 115 families that have been seeking shelter outside of the town, Miranda said. The evacuees were from Barangay Boso-Boso, Gulod, and Bugaan East, also located within the 7-km danger zone of the volcano.

A report from the Batangas provincial disaster risk reduction management office said that as of Tuesday at 8 a.m., at least four families (10 people) in Balete town and nine families (27 people) in Cuenca town remained in evacuation centers.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Tuesday recorded three phreatomagmatic explosions and eight volcanic earthquakes at the Taal Volcano in a 24-hour monitoring period.

The Phivolcs raised Alert Level 3 on Saturday morning over Taal Volcano after it showed a series of short phreatomagmatic (driven by interaction of magma and water) bursts, meaning there is “magmatic intrusion” at the main crater “that may further drive succeeding eruptions.”

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