MANILA, Philippines — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Saturday said some P16,585,936.61 worth of assistance has so far been given to Taal evacuees by the government.

In its 6 a.m. situational report Saturday, the NDRRMC said the assistance was provided by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Health (DOH), as well as the local government units (LGUs).

Meanwhile, volunteers from different civic organizations helped repack relief goods for the Taal Volcano evacuees, at the DSWD’s National Resource and Logistics Management Bureau warehouse in Pasay City.

Loads of relief goods were also being readied for delivery to Batangas evacuation centers.

A total of 22,472 families or 96,061 individuals were affected in Batangas, Cavite, Laguna and Quezon by the volcano’s activity.

Of this number, 16,174 families or 70,413 individuals were staying in 300 evacuation centers.

Six road sections in Batangas and Cavite remained closed as of Saturday as safety measures due to Taal Volcano’s activity.

These road sections are:

• Palico-Balayan-Batangas Road, K0127+020 to K0132 + 550 in Lemery, Batangas: closed due to lockdown
• Tanauan-Talisay-Tagaytay Road, Talisay-Tagaytay section in Talisay, Batangas: closed due to ashfall
• Talisay Laurel-Agoncillo Road, K0092 + 000 to K0102 + 000 in Batangas: closed due to ashfall
• Lake Taal-Tagaytay Road in Batangas: closed due to ashfall
• Tagaytay-Taal Lake Road, K-0057 + (-1209) to K0064 + 357 in Tagaytay, Cavite: closed as safety precaution
• Tagaytay-Talisay Road, K–60 + (-158) to K0062 + 213 in Tagaytay, Cavite: closed as safety precaution

Maintenance crew and equipment operators were clearing the roads closed due to ashfall, the NDRRMC said.

Power was already partially restored in some areas in Cavite, Laguna and Batangas.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Saturday said Alert Level 4 is still in effect in Taal Volcano, which means that hazardous explosive eruption could possibly occur within hours or days. (Stacy Ang/IAMIGO/Currentph.com)