Phivolcs: Safe to go to Albay, Taal town on June 10-12 long weekend despite volcanic unrest

Job Manahan and Raphael Bosano, ABS-CBN News 

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Fisherfolk continue with their work during a cloudy afternoon in Laurel Batangas on June 7, 2023. Local government officials advised residents near the lake to take precautions for possible emissions of volcanic smog from the Taal volcano. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/06/09/20230607-taal-vog-jc-16.jpg' ><figcaption>Fisherfolk continue with their work during a cloudy afternoon in Laurel Batangas on June 7, 2023. Local government officials advised residents near the lake to take precautions for possible emissions of volcanic smog from the Taal volcano. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATE)— The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday said it was safe to visit scenic Albay province and Taal town in Batangas during the June 10 to 12 <a href='https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/1666271257044881410'>long weekend</a>, despite the unrest of both Taal and Mayon volcanoes. Phivolcs officer-in-charge Dr. Teresito Bacolcol said the public should wear face masks if they decide to go to Taal due to the presence of vog or volcanic smog. Vog has reportedly reached the towns of Laurel, Talisay and Agoncillo in Batangas. <ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/08/23/vog-from-taal-volcano-affects-health-of-batangas-residents'>Vog from Taal Volcano affects health of Batangas residents</a></li></ul>"Safe naman as long as we protect ourselves when wearing face masks, siguro sanay naman na tayo because of the pandemic. So magsuot tayo ng face masks para makaiwas tayo sa vog," Bacolcol said in a public briefing. (We are used to wearing face masks because of the pandemic. So let us wear face masks to protect ourselves from vog.)People visiting Albay, on the other hand, must avoid the 6 kilometer permanent danger zone around Mayon, Bacolcol said. "Puwede naman sila pumunta ng Albay, wala namang problema doon as long as hindi sila papasok sa permanent danger zones," he said. (They can go to Albay, there is no problem with that, as long as they don't enter the permanent danger zones.)The Phivolcs chief reminded the public that permanent danger zones could expand if the alert status of Mayon went up. Phivolcs is on continuous lookout for other possible hazards that may occur including phreatic or steam-driven explosions, minor ash fall, and accumulation or expulsion of volcanic gas. Mayon is currently under Alert Level 3, which means "increased tendency towards hazardous eruption." <ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/09/23/199-rockfall-events-recorded-in-mayon-in-past-24-hours'>199 rockfall events recorded in Mayon in past 24 hours - Phivolcs</a></li></ul>Taal Volcano meanwhile remains under Alert Level 1 due to "low-level unrest." SITUATION IN TAAL Even while under alert level 1, Taal Volcano emitted over 9,500 tones of sulfur dioxide last June 5, the highest for the year so far, Phivolcs said.Phivolcs chief Science Research Specialist Maria Antonia Bornas sai Taal also it recorded new volcanic tremors earlier in June. Volcanic tremors are caused by ground movements that usually last anywhere between minutes to days.“Yung volcanic tremor noong June 2, hindi pa siya tumitigil. Kaya nagkakaroon ng pag-uga ng dire-diretso ay dahil sumisirit ang magmatic fluid. Pwedeng yung magma o volcanic gas,” said Bornas.(The volcanic tremor has not stopped since June 2. The volcanic gas or magma may have caused the magmatic fluid to spill, causing the movement.)“Ang nakakalungkot talaga, akala kasi natin tapos na ang activity sa bulkang Taal. Pababa na ang sulfur dioxide. Tumahimik na rin ng matagal mula noong magbaba ng alert level noong July 11, 2022. Inaantay na lang talaga na tuluyang bumaba ang sulfur dioxide. Kaya lang tumaas ulit.”(What is sad is while we thought the activity in Taal had stopped because sulfur dioxide levels were low, it rose again. The volcano was generally quiet since the alert level decreased on July 11, 2022.)Taal's ongoing unrest exposes residents to high levels of sulfur dioxide which could harm their health, Bornas said.“Isipin mo more than two years na tinitiis ng mga kababayan natin sa Batangas yung exposure sa high levels of sulfur dioxide. Kung ako, krisis na kasi yun. Kailangan may gawin na tayo para ma-safeguard natin at siguro natin na hindi maapektuhan healthwise ang mga kababayan sa Batangas province,” she said. (People are breathing high levels of sulfur dioxide for more than two years already. It can be considered a crisis. Something must be done to safeguard our residents in Batangas.) In a 5 a.n. report, Philvolcs said one volcanic tremor was recorded at Taal in the last 24 hours. The volcano also emitted some 2,900 tones of sulfur dioxide and plumes that reached 3,000 meters tall.Under the current alert level, entry into volcano island, which is considered the permanent danger zone, is not allowed. Boating on Taal Lake is also prohibited.<figure class='op-interactive'><iframe allow='autoplay; fullscreen' frameborder='0' height='100%' id='ivsplayer01' scrolling='no' src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&spid=3001339&vid=2666210' width='100%'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more News on <a href='https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news' target='_blank'>iWantTFC</a></div>Video from PTV

<ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/08/23/vog-from-taal-volcano-affects-health-of-batangas-residents'>Vog from Taal Volcano affects health of Batangas residents</a></li></ul>"Safe naman as long as we protect ourselves when wearing face masks, siguro sanay naman na tayo because of the pandemic. So magsuot tayo ng face masks para makaiwas tayo sa vog," Bacolcol said in a public briefing. (We are used to wearing face masks because of the pandemic. So let us wear face masks to protect ourselves from vog.)People visiting Albay, on the other hand, must avoid the 6 kilometer permanent danger zone around Mayon, Bacolcol said. "Puwede naman sila pumunta ng Albay, wala namang problema doon as long as hindi sila papasok sa permanent danger zones," he said. (They can go to Albay, there is no problem with that, as long as they don't enter the permanent danger zones.)The Phivolcs chief reminded the public that permanent danger zones could expand if the alert status of Mayon went up. Phivolcs is on continuous lookout for other possible hazards that may occur including phreatic or steam-driven explosions, minor ash fall, and accumulation or expulsion of volcanic gas. Mayon is currently under Alert Level 3, which means "increased tendency towards hazardous eruption." <ul class='op-related-articles'>	<li><a href='https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/09/23/199-rockfall-events-recorded-in-mayon-in-past-24-hours'>199 rockfall events recorded in Mayon in past 24 hours - Phivolcs</a></li></ul>Taal Volcano meanwhile remains under Alert Level 1 due to "low-level unrest." SITUATION IN TAAL Even while under alert level 1, Taal Volcano emitted over 9,500 tones of sulfur dioxide last June 5, the highest for the year so far, Phivolcs said.Phivolcs chief Science Research Specialist Maria Antonia Bornas sai Taal also it recorded new volcanic tremors earlier in June. Volcanic tremors are caused by ground movements that usually last anywhere between minutes to days.“Yung volcanic tremor noong June 2, hindi pa siya tumitigil. Kaya nagkakaroon ng pag-uga ng dire-diretso ay dahil sumisirit ang magmatic fluid. Pwedeng yung magma o volcanic gas,” said Bornas.(The volcanic tremor has not stopped since June 2. The volcanic gas or magma may have caused the magmatic fluid to spill, causing the movement.)“Ang nakakalungkot talaga, akala kasi natin tapos na ang activity sa bulkang Taal. Pababa na ang sulfur dioxide. Tumahimik na rin ng matagal mula noong magbaba ng alert level noong July 11, 2022. Inaantay na lang talaga na tuluyang bumaba ang sulfur dioxide. Kaya lang tumaas ulit.”(What is sad is while we thought the activity in Taal had stopped because sulfur dioxide levels were low, it rose again. The volcano was generally quiet since the alert level decreased on July 11, 2022.)Taal's ongoing unrest exposes residents to high levels of sulfur dioxide which could harm their health, Bornas said.“Isipin mo more than two years na tinitiis ng mga kababayan natin sa Batangas yung exposure sa high levels of sulfur dioxide. Kung ako, krisis na kasi yun. Kailangan may gawin na tayo para ma-safeguard natin at siguro natin na hindi maapektuhan healthwise ang mga kababayan sa Batangas province,” she said. (People are breathing high levels of sulfur dioxide for more than two years already. It can be considered a crisis. Something must be done to safeguard our residents in Batangas.) In a 5 a.n. report, Philvolcs said one volcanic tremor was recorded at Taal in the last 24 hours. The volcano also emitted some 2,900 tones of sulfur dioxide and plumes that reached 3,000 meters tall.Under the current alert level, entry into volcano island, which is considered the permanent danger zone, is not allowed. Boating on Taal Lake is also prohibited.<figure class='op-interactive'><iframe allow='autoplay; fullscreen' frameborder='0' height='100%' id='ivsplayer01' scrolling='no' src='https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&spid=3001339&vid=2666210' width='100%'></iframe></figure><div class='iwantbar'>Watch more News on <a href='https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news' target='_blank'>iWantTFC</a></div>Video from PTV

Phivolcs officer-in-charge Dr. Teresito Bacolcol said the public should wear face masks if they decide to go to Taal due to the presence of vog or volcanic smog. Vog has reportedly reached the towns of Laurel, Talisay and Agoncillo in Batangas.

<div class='embed-wrap'><figure data-feedback='fb:likes,fb:comments'><img alt='Fisherfolk continue with their work during a cloudy afternoon in Laurel Batangas on June 7, 2023. Local government officials advised residents near the lake to take precautions for possible emissions of volcanic smog from the Taal volcano. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News' src='https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/06/09/20230607-taal-vog-jc-16.jpg' ><figcaption>Fisherfolk continue with their work during a cloudy afternoon in Laurel Batangas on June 7, 2023. Local government officials advised residents near the lake to take precautions for possible emissions of volcanic smog from the Taal volcano. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATE)— The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Friday said it was safe to visit scenic Albay province and Taal town in Batangas during the June 10 to 12 <a href='https://twitter.com/ABSCBNNews/status/1666271257044881410'>long weekend</a>, despite the unrest of both Taal and Mayon volcanoes.

Phivolcs said it was safe to visit Albay province and Taal town during the June 10 to 12 long weekend despite volcanic unrest in these areas.

Phivolcs: Safe to go to Albay, Taal town on June 10-12 long weekend despite volcanic unrest | ABS-CBN News

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Phivolcs: Safe to go to Albay, Taal town on June 10-12 long weekend despite volcanic unrest

Phivolcs: Safe to go to Albay, Taal town on June 10-12 long weekend despite volcanic unrest