Belen Cacao stays at the evacuation center while her children live with their grandparents 

Belen Cacao lost everything when Taal Volcano erupted in January 2020. At that time, she was living on the island together with her husband and 2 children.  

“We owned a ‘sarisari’ store and a small eatery. We also had a horse that brought tourists to the crater. And there were a lot of tourists who visited the volcano then. Life was good. My family enjoyed living on the island,” recalled the 35-year-old mother.  


Belan Cacao tears up as she recalls her family's harrowing experience during the eruption of Taal Volcano

But their lives changed on the morning of January 12, 2020. Belen remembers how the ground kept shaking. The day they had been dreading had arrived – Taal Volcano was erupting.  

Belen and her family were one of the last few residents to have left the island, “When we arrived in Caloocan, Talisay, we noticed that it was already raining ashes. It felt like we were being drenched in mud.”   

Most residents who lived around the lake had already been evacuated by then. Belen and her family had to walk to the nearest evacuation center, multi-purpose gymnasium, to seek shelter. But they moved out when the gym, too, developed cracks. They spent the night at another building that was located on higher ground. It was only the next morning when they were picked up by rescuers and brought to the evacuation site in Tumaway, Talisay.  

Since then, Belen and her husband have been staying at the shelter while their two children live with Belen’s in-laws.  “We run a small store here to help us with our needs. My husband can’t work because he has a heart condition. It would be too much for my in-laws if my whole family stayed with them since they’re no longer working,” narrated Belen. The ‘sarisari’ store also pays for her husband’s medicines.  

“My children are asking me how much longer do we have to wait before we’re reunited. I just tell them that we can enjoy our time together again in our new house,” she lamented.  

Belen is clinging to the local government’s promise that she and her fellow evacuees will be relocated to a new community. Last year, President Rodrigo Duterte declared the Taal Volcano island ‘no man’s land’ displacing thousands of residents.  

“We assure our constituents that they will be relocated to a new community. We ask for their patience and understanding as we also need to follow the process,” explained Talisay councilor Jerome Natanauan.  

For now, the Talisay LGU is grateful for private companies that have been sending aid to affected residents.   

“We thank PLDT and Smart, the PLDT-Smart Foundation, Alagang Kapatid Foundation, and all their affiliate companies for helping us. Many of the evacuees have lost their livelihood when they left the island. These donations will go a long way,” said Natanauan.  

It’s been more than a year since thousands of residents were displaced by the eruption of Taal Volcano in 2020. And as Taal rumbles again, PLDT and Smart continue to help affected families as they have done in the past year. Recently, PLDT and Smart, together with the Alagang Kapatid Foundation, PLDT-Smart Foundation, Metro Pacific and One Meralco Foundation, brought much needed aid to more than 250 families currently staying in three evacuation centers in Talisay, Batangas.  

“We feel their pain and their concern. We empathize with our kababayans and we want to help provide some relief to their hardship. We also support government programs that aim to uplift the lives of those who are suffering because of these calamities,” said John Palanca, Smart FVP and Regional Head of Consumer Sales Group.  

“We decided to return to Talisay, Batangas because we wanted to again bring help to those residents who have been in the evacuation center for almost a year now, as even more residents are ordered to evacuate their homes due to Taal Volcano’s increasing unrest,” added Decerie Claire Astorga, PLDT AVP and Cluster Head for Regional Customer Development in South Luzon 1.  


PLDT and Smart, together with PLDT-Smart Foundation, Alagang Kapatid Foundation and affiliate companies brought much needed aid to families living in three evacuation sites in Talisay, Batangas

Smart, the wireless arm of PLDT, donated 258 sacks of rice sourced from the company’s own BuyLocal program which allows consumers to buy rice directly from farmers. The platform benefits rice growers who also suffered the devastation brought about by the typhoons last year.  



Smart also handed out wood pallets that evacuees in Tumaway can use as temporary beds, as well as a megaphone for use at the shelter.  



PLDT-Smart Foundation handed out hygiene kits and face masks to evacuees who also have to contend with the threat of COVID-19.  

Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc. (AKFI) supported the initiative by distributing food packs, blankets, hygiene kits, toys and medicines.  

“We stand together with Batangueños who continue to suffer from the threats posed by Taal Volcano. We are also one with them as they recover from these tragedies,” said Menchie Silvestre, Alagang Kapatid Foundation Inc. (AKFI) Executive Director.  

Metro Pacific Investments Foundation and One Meralco Foundation sent water filters and relief goods to the evacuees, as well.


Smart sets up a Libreng Tawag (free call) station at the shelter

Smart has also activated a Libreng Tawag (free call) station at the shelter to help residents with their communication needs.

All these efforts are part of PLDT and Smart’s #SafeandSmart advocacy, which promotes preparedness and immediate response through network resilience, continuous availability of communication services, mobile solutions and activities, and relief assistance to help communities mitigate disaster risks.   

Smart continues to engage stakeholders to #LiveSmarter for a #BetterWorld and bring much needed support to communities that have faced adversities.