MANILA, Philippines – A lawmaker called on the Department of Finance (DOF) to extend an emergency assistance program to families living around Taal Volcano as it remains restive.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Senator Francis Pangilinan urged the DOF to formulate a comprehensive inter-agency fund assistance program for families affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano.
“This program may include several forms of assistance like outright cash assistance, moratorium on amortization, etc.,” Pangilinan said.
To assist affected families, he said government financial institutions such as Pag-IBIG, GSIS, and SSS can extend financial assistance to members and/or interest-free emergency calamity loans, on a deferred loan payment for at least six months.
“Malaking tulong kung magkakaroon ulit ang Pag-IBIG, GSIS, at SSS ng moratorium sa lahat ng outstanding loans para sa pinaka-nasalantang mga miyembro nila. Magagamit ang ipambabayad sa mga utang para itayo ulit ang mga bahay nila at iba pang kagyat na pangangailangan,” he said.
“Malaking ginhawa ito, lalong-lalo na sa mga retired na at tumatanggap ng pension,” he added.
Pangilinan further said the government can help victims through its programs like those implemented in the aftermath of the 1991 Pinatubo eruption and the 2013 super-typhoon Yolanda.
Particularly, he said the Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) can relaunch its cash-for-work program; The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) can give affected college students a one-time educational assistance of P5,000; while the Department of Education (DepEd) can offer teachers and non-teaching staff in eruption-devastated areas loan assistance.
He also said that the Civil Service Commission can allow government workers to avail of emergency leave; the Department of Health (DoH) and DSWD can provide food assistance as well as psycho-social trauma management workshops; while government housing agencies, together with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), can work on temporary housing for the displaced communities.
“Pag sama-sama tayong magtutulungan, mas madali tayong makakaahon sa kalamidad,” Pangilinan said.
Thousands of individuals are currently taking temporary shelters after the Taal Volcano belched smoke and ash last January 12.
Taal Volcano remains under alert level 4, which signifies an imminent hazardous eruption.
On Monday, January 20, 2020, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said it has observed a change in the Taal Volcano Island amid the volcano’s continued activity, citing developing subsidence in the northern part of the island.
Phivolcs said that despite observations of a calm Taal volcano in the recent days, with only a steady steam emission and weak explosions that generated ash plumes, volcanic activities underground still continue.
The agency said the ground around the volcano is swollen except for that northeastern part. Frequent volcanic earthquakes and increasing levels of sulfur dioxide were also noted which could indicate a rising magma movement.
Phivolcs still advises residents to keep out of Taal’s declared permanent danger zone due to the possibility of a hazardous eruption.
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