Over 11,000 Batangueños get aid from Aboitiz Group after Taal eruption
Aboitiz Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Aboitiz Group, together with several Aboitiz business units (BUs) in South Luzon, recently mobilized much-needed aid to Batangas residents affected by the January 12 eruption of Taal Volcano.
The calamity forced thousands living near the volcano to evacuate amid real dangers of continuous earthquakes and ashfall, which has destroyed local livelihood and severely disrupted day-to-day living, communication, and travel in the province and nearby areas. The government has sustained Alert Level 4 over Taal Volcano – meaning a hazardous explosive eruption is still possible within hours or days.
As of January 14, several team members from AP Renewables, Inc. Makiling-Banahaw (APRI-MakBan), LiMA EnerZone Corporation (LEZ), and Aboitiz Land, Inc. have pitched in to assemble relief packs containing food, N95 face masks to combat the respiratory impact of the ashfall, sleeping kits, hygiene kits, and drinking water.
These packages will be distributed to 5,519 families, or 11,071 individuals in evacuation centers in Malvar, Sto. Tomas City, and Lipa City, Batangas as well as in San Pablo City and Bay, Laguna.
The Aboitiz Foundation also immediately set up a donation page (#TaalVolcano Eruption Call for Donations) to help affected families through its online donations platform KINDer by Aboitiz (KINDer.aboitiz.com).
“The Aboitiz Group is one with Batangas in this time of urgent need. We sincerely hope our assistance will directly help our Batangueño brothers and sisters as they face this challenge with courage and hope,” said Maribeth L. Marasigan, Aboitiz Foundation President and Chief Operating Officer.
APRI, LEZ, and AboitizLand all have a presence in South Luzon. APRI operates the MakBan Geothermal Power Plant in Bay and Calauan, Laguna, and Sto. Tomas City, Batangas, while LEZ operates LiMA Land’s distribution system in Lipa City and Malvar, Batangas. AboitizLand has industrial, commercial, and residential developments in San Juan, Malvar, and Lipa City, Batangas.
The Aboitiz Group is always in the forefront of disaster relief in BUs’ host communities. In 2019, 410 Aboitiz team member volunteers provided 41,661 families with food and non-food relief packs, while 18,597 families benefited from power line restoration.
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