MANILA — Despite the lowering of Taal Volcano’s status to Alert Level 3, the number of families affected by its eruption has risen to 104,645 or around 396,731 persons.
In its 6 a.m. update Tuesday, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said these people are from the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, and Quezon.
Families still being sheltered in 535 evacuation centers are placed at 39,076 while the remaining families are said to be residing in the houses of their relatives and friends.
Meanwhile, damage to infrastructure and agriculture in Batangas, Cavite, and Laguna was placed at PHP3,352,948,882.
The amount of assistance extended to the affected families by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH) amounted to PHP80,881,643.71.
NDRRMC executive director Ricardo Jalad, in an interview Monday, said the focus of the agency now is the rehabilitation and recovery of the affected communities as the families living outside the volcano’s seven-kilometer danger zone are now being given an option to return.
He said concerned agencies are gathering data on post-disaster needs assessments which will be followed by the crafting of a rehabilitation and recovery plan.