Municipality of Laurel in Batangas province located North-West of Taal Volcano which erupted on January 12, 2020, has approximately 41,000 population across 21 barangays (villages) where the majority are within 14km radius. RIMM members met with the mayor Joan of Laurel and she explained that 60 percent of them are in the evacuation centers and 40 percent evacuated to their private acquaintances including their relatives or families out side of the affected zone.
Basically, Laurel evacuees are addressed to the evacuation centers in Alfonso, Tagaytay areas in Cavite. Talisay evacuees had been sheltered in Tanauan City in Batangas. Agoncillo and Lemery evacuees went to San Luis, Batangas.
Mayor Joan expressed her concern about the evacuee’s livelihood. According to her, some of the evacuees had applied jobs as nanny, massage therapists and household helpers.
In the meantime, 480 people out of 141 families from Laurel had evacuated in the gym of Splendido, Taal which usually operates as condominium/hotel & golf resort that is now shut down temporary to offer shelter as an evacuation center. Since nobody is currently in Laurel, provision of electricity has stopped. There is a small generator occasionally turned on for functions and largely cell phone charging.
Municipality of Laurel provides food supplies and basic commodity needs for the evacuees at Splendido. There are many other organizations provide and donate various items, food and entertainment to cheer them up.
Since the school education has been scheduled to be conducted at the evacuation center, RIMM provided school supplies such as notebooks and pencils to the students, as well as some toys for little boys and girls.
