Taal Volcano eruption – Please help senior citizens

The Taal Volcano eruption has displaced close to half a million people living around the volcano. There are around 160,000 evacuees in close to 300 evacuation centers found mostly in the province of Batangas.

These evacuees are mostly poor people who have no other properties or close relatives to seek shelter. In my village in San Pascual, Batangas there are currently more than 500 evacuees. Several of them are senior citizens who are more stressed and anxious about this disaster.

They need the following the most:

1. Maintenance medicines (specifically blood pressure medications)
2. Milk
3. Vitamins
4. Biscuits
5. N95 face masks

At the moment there is more than enough food supplies and other necessities coming from well-meaning groups and individuals.

Alert Level 4 is still flagged by the government on Taal Volcano which means that there is an imminent threat of a hazardous eruption. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology reported yesterday, January 17, that if the situation improves the alert level could be lowered from 4 to 3 but this could take three weeks. Lowering it further enough for people to go back to their (probably destroyed) homes would take some time.

I fear that when the news about Taal Volcano diminishes donations would fizzle out. I think assisting the victims in the next weeks and months is vital.

I have done initial needs assessment of the senior citizen evacuees and I think the above five items are needed the most. I will survey which senior citizens need maintenance medicines, but with your assistance I will surely try to provide them vitamins, milk and biscuits.

Your help will certainly ease the burden that our senior evacuees undergo during this disaster. Thank you so much!