By Martin Sadongdong  Without dismissing its humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) disclosed on Monday that it is shifting its focus to the rehabilitation and recovery of the areas that were heavily affected by the Jan. 12 Taal volcano eruption. Executive Director Ricardo Jalad (NDRRMC / FACEBOOK / MANILA BULLETIN) NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said a post-disaster needs assessment (PDNA) was already being conducted before the crafting of the rehabilitation and recovery plan for Batangas. "Our timeline is two to three months for the rehabilitation and recovery. Maybe even faster because it's not even the entire that was affected," he said. However, there is no clear date yet as to when the rehabilitation and recovery phase will commence. Jalad said the PDNA started last week with the National Economic and Development Authority-Calabarzon (NEDA-4A) leading the initial meeting. "Itutuloy na lang 'yun (It will be continued)," he said. Aside from NEDA, included in the inter-agency group crafting the plan are the Office of Civil Defense, Department of Agriculture, Department of Public Works and Highways, the provincial government of Batangas, and other member-agencies of the NDRRMC. Part of the rehabilitation and recovery plan will be the debris clearing, but as early as now, Jalad said it was already being implemented through the help of the military and police. Joint Task Group Taal commander Brig. Gen. Marciliano Teofilo said military engineers were dispatched to assist barangay officials and residents in clearing streets and communities of ash fall, dead animals, and other debris. Teofilo added that they were also helping in the mobilization of residents who opted to go back to their houses as the alert of Taal was downgraded to Level 3 during the weekend. "After this, we will focus on the rehabilitation phase on the condition that there is no longer threat of eruption from the volcano. Hopefully, the alert will be further downgraded," he said. Teofilo said as part of rehabilitation efforts, temporary shelters will be constructed to accommodate hundreds who lost their homes. "Some don't want to go back and leave the evacuation centers since their houses were already collapsed, especially residents of Agoncillo and Laurel towns. They need help. The thrust now of the provincial government, with the help of the national government, is to rehabilitate destroyed communities, to build shelters for their relocation," he added. As of 6 a.m. Monday, the NDRRMC said a total of 103,443 families or 394,094 individuals have been affected by Taal's unrest. Of the number, 38,377 families or 137,447 individuals were sheltered in 532 evacuation centers while 44,414 families or 170,653 individuals were served outside evacuation centers.