The overwhelming support through donations extended to the victims of Taal volcano eruption comes in various forms—monetary and in-kind (food, shelter, clothing, and other necessities). Samsung Philippines for its part lent top-of-the-line washing machines to evacuees in an evacuation center to help them thoroughly remove and wash off volcanic ash from their clothes.
On January 18, less than a week after the abrupt January 12 eruption of the volcano, the electronic company brought 16 washers and dryers to the Inosluban-Marawoy Evacuation Center in Lipa City, Batangas with the assistance from the office of the Batangas provincial government headed by Governor Dodo Mandanas and Lipa City LGU through councilor Mikee Morada.
Samsung also lent a TV set for the kids and other evacuees to access timely news and entertainment while they endure living in the evacuation center. The company recognized the need for affected individuals to somehow ease their situation and focus more on recovery from the calamity.
The initiative was aimed at helping more than 2,500 evacuees who came from affected areas in Tagaytay City, Talisay, Tanauan, and other towns in Batangas. Over 1,400 kilograms of clothing was washed using Samsung washing machines. The washers are dryers will remain in the evacuation center until the volcano alert level (then at Alert Level 4) lowers down, with the situation being safer for the victims to return home.
“Our hearts go out to the people affected by the Taal volcano eruption,” said Samsung Philippines President James Jung. “It is a difficult situation to be away from one’s home. We at Samsung strongly believe in technology that nurtures and enables people, so we hope to ease the living situation of the victims while they are dealing with the aftermath of the eruption.”
