Taal evacuees to receive COVID-19 vaccine supply — PDRRMO

The evacuees from Batangas who were displaced due to the threat of the ongoing activity of Taal Volcano will be prioritized to receive a dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the provincial disaster official said Friday.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief Joselito Castro said the national government vowed to provide the supply of vaccines.

“Kanina po sinabi po ng national [government] na ipapadala po ‘yung mga vaccines para ma-prioritize din po sa bakuna itong ating mga nasa evacuation center,” he said.

(The national government earlier said that they will send vaccines to prioritize the people staying in evacuation center.)

Castro said health protocols are being observed in the evacuation of affected residents to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

A total of 1,499 people or 344 families are staying in evacuation centers on Friday after Taal Volcano erupted on Thursday, the Batangas Provincial Police Office said.

Among the 13 barangays affected by Taal’s explosion were Gulod, Buso Buso, Bugaan West, and Bugaan East in Laurel; Subic Ilaya, Banyaga, and Bilibinwang in Agoncillo; Poblacion and Sinturisan in San Nicolas; Apacay in Taal; Luyos and Boot in Tanauan City; and San Sebastian in Balete.

On Thursday afternoon, a short phreatomagmatic eruption occurred at Taal's main crater and generated a dark grayish plume that rose 1,000 meters, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

It was followed by four short phreatomagmatic bursts at 6:26 p.m., 7:21 p.m., 7:41 p.m., and 8:20 p.m. that lasted not longer than two minutes, producing plumes of up to 200 meters above the main crater lake.

As of Friday morning, Alert Level 3 remained over the Taal Volcano, which means magma extruding from the main crater could drive an explosive eruption. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA News