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/ JANUARY 15, 2o2o

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PING: PHIVOLCSNOJ
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blame, Sel
y DJ Yap
son said f
)deejayapINQ
BYTHE T{UMECNS the Housr
apses committed by govern- an inquir
)ent agencies, including the
4s9,300 actions in
of real-time warnings to af-
Total population within eruption c
rck
14 km danger zone Lacsor
rcted conlmunities before the
had done
ruption of Taal Volcano, will
"t,
:ti As of 12 p.m"'Jan. 14 monitorin
e investigated by the House of
.i | 9,527 and had er
epresentatives. '-.".
Affected f amilies in previou
The chair of the House natu-
"The r
resources panel, Cavite Rep.
40.,752, were no r(
lpidio Barzaga Jr., flled on Mon-
Affected persons we shouli
ay a resolution prodding tlle
and iust a
ppropriate committee to launch
probe, in aid of legislation, of $a job," the
BatzaE
s

rhat he described as a "clear lack ' No. of evacuation centers

"challenge
f dissemination of information"
volcs, but
:garding the hazards of Taal's
olcanic activity.
still be a
its monit(
"Filipinos were taken by
and availi
urprise by the recent Taal Vol-
equipmen
ano eruption wherein the loss-
technical
s of life and property ard still
timely for
naccounted for," the congreqs-
cano erup
ran said.
In filing House Resolution Volcir
Io. 643, Barzaga stressed the Barza[
eed for a "proactive and not a
the probe
efensive response" from gov-
tlement o
rnment agencies, chiefly the tl
despite
hilippine Institute of Volcanol-
gy and Seismology (Phivolcs).
rized as
zone.
No sMs alerts .,' . -. )alltag.'q:......
He al
charges sl
He recalled that as early as u
"those u
 tviAt\tLA l otal popu latio rr within
'14
eruption of Taal Volcano.
krr danger zone Lacson believed Phivol

,THRilT As of
9,527
12 p.m, Jan.14
had done its part as it had be
monitoring the situation in T;
and had even raised alert lev€
Affected f amilies in previous months.
"The mere fact that th€
44,752 were no reported deaths,I thi
TiF.eM:rtrres Cltv Affected persons we shoulil not blame Phivol
I TFr.:te and just allow them to do thr
1-.&\:i1"!: job," the senator told reporte
198
No. of evacuation centers Barzaga recognized t
"challenges" faced by PI
8,896 volcs. but he said there shot
' LdsB.io. ' Farnilies at evacuation still be an investigation ir
t'u its monitoring of Taal, the u
c. centers
l and availability of monitori
38,2O3 equipment and "if it has t
technical expertise to make
Persons at evacuation
timely forecast of the Taal Vr
rI Ahs'.os .
centgrs..
cano eruption."

volceno isl€ settlement

from it and had to immediately
flee under the dangers of ash-
fall," Barzaga said.
"Although Phivolcs has
stated that it raised a warning
of level r since March of zor9,
there is clearly a lack of dis-
semination of information on
the hazards of volcanic activity
of Taal Volcano to the general
public, a[d lnore particularly
to its nearby cities and munic-
ipalities of Cavite, Laguna and
Batangas," he said.
Barzaga said it was Phivolcs'
duty to assess and timely com-
municate information about
volcanic hazards and make re-
al-time warnings ofvolcanic ac-
tivity in order to prevent loss of
life and.property.
"There is a need to have a
proactive and not a defensive
response from Phivolcs, ton-
cerned government agencies
and local governments with
regard to their actions or inac-
tions on the recent Taal Volca-
no eruption," he said.
Premature to lay blame
This is not the time to lay
Barzaga said the scope
the probe should cover the sl
tlement on Taal Volcano Isla
despite the area being cate€
rized as a permanent danf
zone.
He also said approprii
chargei should be filed agair
"those unscrupulous perso
who sold face masks and ott
food and supplies at an unr(
sonable cost during these tin
of disaster."
"More importantly, in tl
time of adversity, we shot
not forget to commend t
countless brave and honoral
people who are helping th(
who were adversely aFect
by the Taal volcano eruptio
Barzaga said. -wrrx A REPoRT FR
IEILA B. SALAVERRIAINQ

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