The volcano, while considered one of the smallest, is known for its deadly volcanic eruptions. The last of which was back in October of 1977, causing the island to be declared a Permanent Danger Zone. Yet poor families continue to live there because of the rich volcanic soil which is beneficial for agriculture. It’s also worth noting that the island is in close proximity to Tagaytay – an area where local tourists flock for quick weekend getaways.

Within the span of a day, the alert level of the eruption climbed from level 2 to level 4. Prompting the local officials to evacuate several boroughs and displacing more than 46,000 families in just roughly 500 evacuation centres. In a matter of hours, the eruption has destroyed the homes and livelihood of thousands of individuals.

As an organisation that regards communities and the environment with utmost respect and due care, the mass evacuations of communities prompted us to reach out and help our Kababayans. In 3 days, SSA Philippines and SSA HQ came together to coordinate and extend our assistance to those in immediate need.

On January 18, 2020, our Manila branch staff went to distribute the relief goods gathered to families who were displaced at evacuation centres in Alfonso, Cavite and Nasugbu, Batangas. Despite the heartbreaking state the affected families were in, all of them expressed their utmost gratitude and even offered coffee, a staple Batangas is very well known for.