Palace: No need for Taal task force

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang does not see the pressing need to create a task force that will centralize all disaster response, relief and rehabilitation efforts for the victims of the eruption of Taal Volcano.

However, presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the government might consider a suggestion to establish an agency to oversee the rehabilitation of areas devastated by the eruption.

“As of now, I don’t see the need for a task force because everything is in place. Everything is in place, and that’s why President Duterte is praising the agencies,”Panelo said over dzIQ.

However, the Palace is open to suggestions to establish a body in charge of overseeing the rehabilitation of affected areas around Taal Volcano.

This was after Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto proposed the creation of a Taal Commission, to be patterned after the Mt. Pinatubo Commission organized after the 1991 eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in Central Luzon.

Recto, a native of Batangas, said he would draft a bill to create a similar commission to ensure that there would be recovery and rehabilitation funds for affected areas in Batangas and Cavite.

“All good proposals will be studied, of course. And we will implement it if it is truly beneficial for our countrymen,” Panelo said.

He added that it would be up to the President if he will certify the pending measure as urgent or not.

Panelo made the remarks on the eve of Mr. Duterte’s second visit to areas affected by Taal Volcano’s eruption.

The Chief Executive is expected to lead the ceremonial distribution of food packs to evacuees in Santo Tomas, Batangas, on Monday afternoon.

Taal Volcano remains under alert level 4, which means a hazardous eruption is imminent. The volcano’s unrest reached alarming levels when it caused an ashfall last week.

The President led a situation briefing and visited evacuees in Batangas City last week.

Panelo noted that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said its eruption was looming, but scientists cannot predict when this will happen.

“It can erupt, but you know we can’t really predict that. That’s the problem there. It may or it may not. But what is important is we’re ready for it. Hopefully, not so destructive,”he said.

Panelo said Duterte’s directives as to disaster response and relief remain the same, and that stocks of food continue to pour in.

“The important thing is there are many food stocks pouring in, as well as clothes””all kinds are coming to the affected areas,”he added.