Press Releases
Emergency Assistance to the Philippines
in Response to the Eruption of Mt. Taal
1. On January 21, the Government of Japan decided to provide in-kind emergency assistance of anti-dust respirators and others through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in response to the damage caused by the volcanic eruption of Mt. Taal, located in the Republic of the Philippines.
2. The Government of Japan made the above decision on rendering emergency relief upon request, from a humanitarian point of view, and in light of the friendship between Japan and of the Philippines.
[Reference]
(1) Volcanic activities of Mt. Taal, located in the Province of Batangas in Southern Luzon, Philippines (approx. 60 km south of Metro Manila), intensified and resulted in a phreatic explosion on the afternoon of January 12, 2020. According to the Philippine authorities, the volcano continues to present likelihoods of massive eruptions, mudslides, or volcanic tsunamis, thereby requiring a sustained high level of alert [Level 4: Imminence of Hazardous Explosive Eruption].
(2) The Philippine authorities report that approx. 150,000 persons from the provinces of Batangas, Quezon, Laguna, and Cavite have taken refuge at evacuation centres as of 12 PM, January 22, 2020.
