SSC holds donation drive for Taal victims

After 43 years of inactivity, the Taal Volcano exploded last Jan. 12, covering nearby cities in a thick layer of heavy ash and forcing large-scale evacuations. A total of 124,764 families were affected by the explosion, according to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).

To provide relief for the affected families, SSC-Manila held a donation drive on Jan. 14 for the victims of the eruption.

In Calatagan, Batangas, Grade 11 student Lara Doble and her family welcomed 130 families whose lives had been upended by the calamity. Based on the latest report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), around 2,226 families had to vie for space and shelter in the 2 evacuation centers in Calatagan.

In response to these complaints, Doble’s family decided to temporarily adopt the evacuees and reach out to other organizations for monetary donations and relief goods. They worked to transform schools, gyms, and recreational centers into makeshift evacuation centers.

Her actions were the start of the school’s initiatives. Days after the eruption, various outreach groups from the different units of SSC-Manila, like the Institutional Social Action (ISAC) and the Tanggapan ng Kalinga (TK), banded together to gather enough canned goods, toiletries, clothes, medical supplies, and face masks to deliver to the victims in Taal.

Aside from Calatagan, some of the hardest hit areas of the eruption included the cities of Tagaytay, Talisay, and Balete. Ash coated the roofs and roads of the cities for weeks. Vegetation near the volcano got burnt while a number of animals had to be left behind as residents evacuated the danger zone.

To boost the public’s morale, Doble’s family also staged a mini benefit concert. Movies were played and local performers were invited to engage with the evacuees, who finally had a chance to relax and find their footing as the calamity passed.