DPWH deploys 826 personnel to respond to possible Taal eruption

A total of 826 personnel with 107 pieces of equipment are now positioned around the Taal Volcano to assist in evacuation and to clear the national roads in the area in case the volcano erupts, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark A. Villar said.

Citing a report from the DPWH Bureau of Maintenance, Villar said that the Quick Response Teams (QRTs) of DPWH Regional Office IV-A, and all its 16 District Engineering Offices, are ready to be deployed in case of emergency. 

“As a response to the recent Taal Volcano activity, we have prepared an action plan for pre-, disaster, and post-disaster response. Under our action plan, our QRTs will be clustered into six command centers strategically located around the volcano to make our response operations efficient,” Villar said. 

The command centers are located in DPWH District Engineering Offices (DEO) in Balayan, Batangas; Kumintang Ilaya, Batangas City; Tanauan, Batangas; Lipa City, Batangas; Alfonzo, Cavite; and Carmona, Cavite. 

“These command centers will ensure that national roads and bridges in their area are passable and shall identify alternative roads for response operations. They shall also provide temporary structures to restore mobility when necessary,” Villar explained. 

Photo from Department Works and Highways

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