Because of your generous support to Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines, more than 600 displaced families in Malvar, Balayan, Tanauan, and Batangas City received hygiene kits on January 14.

The kits composed of soap, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrush, detergents, and rubbing alcohol were distributed on the 2nd day of our disaster relief operations following the phreatic eruption of the Taal Volcano.

“This is a great help especially for a mom like me. I am the only one working for my family. I have no means to buy all of my children’s needs,” Lany Marquez replied smiling when asked about how she felt when she received the relief pack.

Her family is one among the hundreds of thousands of people living within the 14-kilometer radius from Taal’s main crater. All of them faced forced evacuation because of an impending hazardous eruption.

Ginalyn Castillo, while sitting on a pile of cardboard makeshift bed, recalled her experience when the volcano started to expel rocks and ashes. “I was so terrified because I am on my 9th month of pregnancy. Also, I was so afraid for my kids.”

She has no choice but to leave their house, seek a safer shelter, and stay in the evacuation center where she faces dangers of stress and discomfort.

Despite the outpouring flow of relief goods, the evacuees couldn’t deny the distress and inconvenience they feel caused by being displaced.

Ronalyn De Villa, a mother of three, expressed her struggle, “It is so difficult for us especially for my little kids. The evacuation center is very hot! Going to the comfort room is also very inconvenient and sometimes the water supply goes out. We have no decent bedding, too!” She, along with her kids, evacuated with her elderly father who also needs special assistance.

Aside from the relief packs they received, our kababayans still need decent beddings and medical assistance. Also, it will be very helpful for them—especially for children— to have different activities and counseling sessions to help them cope with this traumatic and stressful event.

There are still thousands of families crying out for help and starting to lose hope because of the great damage and loss they experienced.

Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines has been extending aid and support to the affected individuals because of the Taal Volcano Eruption in Batangas since the eruption. Disaster response efforts have been mobilized to help thousands of displaced families.

Please continue to support our cause. You can bring relief to thousands of families now in evacuation centers by partnering with us. To know more, visit https://operationblessing.ph/donate-now/.

For more inquiries, please call us at (+632) 8663-4701, (+632) 8663-4710 or 0939-921-5543.