Authorities call the public to donate sacks for dumping ashes from the Taal volcano eruption.
“Sana mag-donate pa po ng mga sako, kailangang, kailangan po ng mga kababayan natin,” said Brig. Gen. Marcelino Teofilo, chief of Joint Task Force Taal.
(We hope more would donate sacks. Our fellowmen badly needed them.)
In an interview with DZMM Thursday morning, Teofilo said residents and police, soldiers, and coast guards assisting in cleaning up still needed sacks for collecting ash and sand from the ashfall.
The Taal Volcano ashfall affected towns and cities and Batangas, nearby provinces, and Metro Manila when it erupted on January 12.
He also clarified that all police and soldiers deployed as augmentation security forces would not be pulled out of areas affected by the volcanic eruption.
It was after President Rodrigo Duterte’s order on Wednesday to pull out the soldiers and police who had served as guards in towns near the volcano.
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Taal Volcano eruption victims in need of sacks to clean ashes
They are now conducting a rotation to send soldiers and police from other areas home. The law enforcers have been deployed for more than two weeks in nearby volcanic villages.
“Nakababad, naka-expose ‘yung mga sundalo, mga pulis at coast guard natin diyan so kailangan makapag-pahinga din,” he said.
(Our police officers, soldiers, and coast guards were exposed so they also need to rest.)
“At ‘yung ibang tropa natin na gusto rin mag-serbisyo ay makapagserbisyo rin at makatulong rin sa mga kababayan natin diyan sa Batangas.”
(And our other troops who want to serve will also serve and help our countrymen in Batangas.)
Duterte would allow the local government and police to enforce the law in their area.
Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 3, meaning there is a low probability that a hazardous eruption would occur.