Sotto wants long-term rehab plan for Batangas

Senate President Vicente Sotto III urged lawmakers to create a comprehensive, long-term rehabilitation plan for Batangas following the Taal Volcano eruption.

Sotto emphasized the need for permanent solutions to aid residents in recovering from the disaster.

He highlighted that the government should have learned from past rehabilitation efforts in Tacloban and Marawi, where ready programs were lacking.

The proposed rehabilitation plan should include provisions for temporary and permanent housing, infrastructure repair, and livelihood opportunities.

Phivolcs lowered the alert level for Taal Volcano from Level 4 to Level 3, allowing most displaced residents to return home.

However, Phivolcs cautioned that the decrease in volcanic activity does not mean the threat of a hazardous eruption has disappeared.

President Duterte has requested Congress to pass a P30-billion supplemental budget to support the recovery and rehabilitation efforts in Batangas.