Phivolcs tells residents near Taal Volcano first to be told if safe to return

January 21, 2020

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Tuesday assured the public they will be the first to inform them, especially  residents currently in evacuation centers, it is safe to go back to their homes. .

In a press briefing, Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division chief Mariton Bornas said they understand the people’s sentiments especially after the vice mayor of Talisay expressed dismay over Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum's statement that Taal Volcano remains active.

“We understand their plight. We are working doubly hard so that we can give them the best information. We will be the first one to say if it's safe to go back because we have them in mind all the time,” Bornas said.

Bornas said they know how stressed the displaced residents are.

“With all due respect to the vice mayor, we can understand that he is under so much stress, there are so many things going on and he is under pressure. We would like to respect the vice mayor’s feelings but at the same time we are firm... and we are doing our best so that we can inform,” she said.

According to Talisay Vice Mayor Charlie Natanauan, Solidum is not God to know what is going on with the volcano and asking them to leave their houses.

Alert Level 4 remains in Taal Volcano despite complaints from residents living within the 14-kilometer danger zone for locking down their towns and ordering them to evacuation.

Phivolcs is conducting a two-week observation as Taal remains active. According to Bornas, any major development may reset the period which started on January 13.

“If something happens within the two-week period, all hats are off. If we see an escalation or any significant activity, the two-week period is off,” she said.

On Tuesday,  Solidum said the parts of the northeastern portion of Taal Volcano Island have sunk while the entire volcano has swollen.

He said Barangay Tabla, Talisay was specifically affected by the  submersion.

Bornas said geological transformation of the volcano is normal.

“These are really the geomorphic changes or the surface changes on Taal Volcano every time it erupts. We have a change in the morphology or in the shape of the main crater, particularly in the main crater floor,” she said.

She said before the 1911 eruption, there was no large lake inside the main crater.

“When the 1911 eruption occurred, all of these materials were blown off and because there is a reduction in material, all of the springs around the crater filled the crater with water,” Bornas said.

She added vents that disappeared returned after Taal's phreatic eruption last January 12.

Based on their latest bulletin, activity in the main crater in the past 24 hours has been characterized by weak steam emission that generated ash plumes 500-to 600 meters tall. These ashes are dispersed southwest of the main crater. Ella Dionisio/DMS