Año reminds local chief execs to ensure immediate response amid Taal activity

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday reminded all provincial governors and mayors in Regions III, IV-A and the National Capital Region to be physically present in their respective areas and ensure immediate response following Taal Volcano's phreatic eruption over the weekend.

In a statement, Año called on local chief executives to immediately convene their local disaster risk reduction and management council to respond to the situation and address the needs of residents in their areas.

"The local chief executives must also immediately activate their incident management teams, operations center and various disaster response teams. The DILG will closely monitor the actions taken by the LGUs (local government units) in accordance with Operation Listo protocols," Año said.

The DILG chief further said he had placed the Philippine National Police under full alert status, noting that police are now implementing mandatory evacuation in areas affected by the volcanic activity.

"We have mobilized all PNP Search and Rescue assets in PRO IV-A for the conduct of timely and rapid disaster response," he said.

"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, he added.

Año said personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection has been assisting the police and the local government units in implementing the mandatory evacuation of affected families.

Meanwhile, Año urged the public to donate clean drinking water, food, emergency medicines and other basic essentials such as tents, mats, blankets, water containers and cooking pots for the use of those staying in evacuation centers.

The alert level of Taal Volcano was raised to Alert Level 4, meaning hazardous eruption is possible within hours to days.

More than 7,000 individuals in CALABARZON are temporarily staying in evacuation centers, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. — RSJ, GMA News