Taal evacuees resort to begging for food and medical needs

Some families evacuated due to the Taal Volcano eruption have resorted to begging on the streets of Talisay, Batangas, for basic necessities.

One elderly man, Leoncio Seña, has been begging for about a week with his family, using the collected money to buy food and cover medical expenses for his sick grandchildren.

He explained that they fled their lakeside home in Talisay when the volcano erupted, and they lack finances, especially for medical needs.

Evacuees pool their collected money daily to buy food, while others use it for transportation to seek further assistance.

They had returned to their homes after Taal's alert level was lowered to 3, but their farming livelihoods were destroyed by the eruption, leaving them with barely enough food.

Batangas Governor Hermilando Mandanas had previously advised residents outside the danger zone to stay in evacuation centers due to ongoing risks to health, property, and livelihood.