‘Tuloy ang buhay’: Batangas lomi business survives after Taal eruption
MANILA, Philippines — In San Luis, Batangas, a small eatery that sells the province’s famous noodles, “lomi,” continued to thrive after its operations were halted by the Taal Volcano eruption.
Jenny Sayaman, one of the owners of an eatery called “Kainan sa Halamanan,” said they closed for almost two weeks because of the continued earthquake and ashfall induced by the Taal eruption.
“Ay siyempre natakot kami pero hindi pa rin kami gaano nagsara,” Sayaman told Philstar.com as she recounts what happened during the eruption.
(Of course, we were scared but we did not totally close the eatery.)
The owner and cook said they decided to close the eatery because they have no more supplies of ingredients. They just opened it in August last year.
They do grocery shopping in Batangas City but there was a lockdown in most areas following the raising of Alert Level 4.
Sayaman added that the eruption also left the eatery dirty so it was unsafe for customers. She said that even the decors of her eatery were damaged by the ashfall.
“Dahil kapag umulan maputik. Kapag ‘di umulan ganun din— maalikabok. Pareho lang din ang suma ng dumi,” she added.
(Because if it rains it becomes muddy. If it doesn’t rain, it’s the same—still dirty. The amount of dirt are the same.)
At least 14 areas were placed on lockdown amid the Alert Level 4 warning of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
The alert level warning was only lowered to 3 last Sunday, January 26, and the lifting of the lockdown order soon followed.
Despite this, Sayaman said they were left with no choice but to open during the implementation of the lockdown.
“Hindi naman po puwede… kami’y may mga anak at wala namang katuwang,” Sayaman said, citing that the eatery is owned by four women who are widows or separated with their partner.
“Tuloy ang buhay kailangang maghanap-buhay,” she added.
Samayan shared they have several customers dining in their eatery ever since they have resumed operation. It helped that they are strategically situated along the highway.
“Kainan sa Halamanan” is located in Barangay Taliba, San Luis, Batangas just beside an evacuation center.
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