Benguet farmers sending more vegetables to Taal victims

La Trinidad, Benguet (CNN Philippines, January 16) — Vegetable traders and farmers from this highland town are donating part of their harvest to thousands of people affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano.

Groups that are part of the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post on Thursday sent 3,000 kilos of various vegetables to affected families and evacuees in Ibaan, Batangas.

A first batch of 3,000 kilos of vegetables from the same donors reached evacuation centers in Lipa City, Batangas Wednesday night, Major Roldan Cabatan of the La Trinidad Municipal Police Station said.

He said the local police coordinated with the farmers for this initiative.

Help continues to pour in as Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 4, which means hazardous eruption is imminent.

LIST: Where to send donations for Taal evacuees

As of 6 a.m. Thursday, 53,832 people are taking shelter in 244 evacuation centers in Batangas and Cavite according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. The council also reported that 65,184 people have been affected by the volcano’s eruption.

Taal has dealt more than half a billion pesos in agricultural damage since it started spewing ash last Sunday. It has also hit tourism in areas near the volcano, particularly in the resort city of Tagaytay.