On January 12th, 2020, the Taal volcano, located 60KM south of Manila on the island of Luzon, erupted and spewed ash up to 14KM in the air, forcing nearly a million people to evacuate.
Xylem teams in the Philippines, together with their families, have shown their dedication to the Watermark mission by supporting the relief and recovery efforts in affected communities through both volunteerism and giving. Xylem volunteers worked with global non-profit partner Planet Water Foundation to install five AquaTowers and two AquaBlock emergency water filtration systems at schools and community centers that are serving as shelters for displaced families and individuals. Xylem’s donated water filtration systems are now providing clean, safe water more than 5,700 displaced people, and going forward will also support the drinking water needs of thousands of additional students and community members that attend these schools and community centers.
In addition to their work to provide clean water, Xylem volunteers collected supply donations, distributed relief items at the evacuation centers, and worked at a soup kitchen to provide meals at one location. Teams also raised funds among colleagues and stakeholders, both locally and around the world, to support the Philippines Red Cross, which is responding by providing shelter, food, and necessary aid to those who have been displaced.
Click here to view the Xylem Watermark & Planet Water Philippines Disaster Relief video.
