The Philippines’ Taal Lake, the site of a Seacology project, was covered with ash by the eruption of Taal Volcano on January 12. The mountain spewed ash and particles of fine glass nine miles in the air and forced the evacuation of 50,000 people, including the communities where Seacology funded a conservation center. Authorities fear the volcano may soon erupt again.

Seacology’s field representative in the Philippines, Ferdie Marcelo, has been trying to get information from our project partners in the Municipality of Mataas na Kahoy where the conservation center is located. He has not gotten reports of damage to structures, but it’s still difficult to get accurate information.

Seacology is not an emergency relief organization, but we will be there for long-term support. (You can find Charity Navigator’s recommendations of disaster relief charities to support here.) We will stay in touch with Ferdie and stand ready to help the Taal Lake community if the conservation center needs repairs. We know our partners intend to keep their commitment to protect a 2,471-acre fish sanctuary in the lake, and we want to keep our commitment, too.