AFTER sending aid to affected residents two days after the Taal eruption, the City of Taguig returned on Friday, January 17, to provide free medical assistance and relief packs to over 122 families from Laurel town, Batangas displaced by the calamity.

In a medical mission and relief operation at an evacuation site in Splendido Taal Country Club, also in the vicinity of Laurel, different departments of City Hall pooled a comprehensive response to the needs of 122 families or more than 500 individuals who were evacuated from their homes to avoid serious injuries and even deaths.

The charitable effort began with a medical mission led by the Taguig City Health Office responding to the call of the local government of Laurel to provide medical services for its evacuees. An onsite pharmacy was set up for those needing medication and supplements.

Concurrently, to offer psychosocial support, kids were gathered for parlor games, and a show featuring magic and puppetry. The kids and their parents alike were all smiles as they enjoyed the spectacle prepared for them.

After all the evacuees were given medical help, they then received food packs, bottles of drinking water, hygiene kits, beddings and N95 masks, among others.

Each household also received water jugs and packs of sodium hypochlorite, a liquid that purifies water for drinking purposes. The Taguig City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office also taught the evacuees how to chlorinate water so that it would be safe to drink.

Taguig Rescue brought truckloads of water for the hygienic and cleaning needs of the evacuees. Also joining the medical mission was the Taguig City police.

The medical and relief effort was in cooperation with the offices of Senator Pia Cayetano, House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Taguig Second District Representative Lani Cayetano. (PR)