Phivolcs to lower Taal alert level

If no eruption in 2 weeks

MANILA, Philippines —  Taal Volcano’s status may be downgraded to Alert Level 2 if the situation continues to improve in the next two weeks.

“If there will be sustained eruptions, we will maintain Alert Level 3. If there are no phreatomagmatic eruptions in the next two weeks, we will bring down the alert level from three to two,” Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) director Renato Solidum Jr. said in his report to President Duterte on Tuesday night.

Solidum said the alert level would be raised to four if magma climbs up and causes stronger eruptions.

However, he said “we are not seeing the parameters to raise it to Alert Level 4.”

Solidum said the agency is monitoring the situation using new equipment as several were destroyed during the eruptions in January 2020 and July 2021.

He said Phivolcs recommended the evacuation only of residents of barangays in Agoncillo and Laurel towns because the March 26 eruption was not as powerful as the previous ones.

“As of the moment, Taal Volcano is not inflated. That means there is no pressure. We expected that the first eruptions of Taal Volcano this year were not that explosive,” Solidum said.

In yesterday’s bulletin, Phivolcs said four volcanic tremor events, which lasted two to five minutes, and a low-level background tremor were recorded in the past 24 hours.

Upwelling of hot volcanic fluid in Taal Lake generated plumes that rose 1,500 meters and drifted southwest.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said 1,823 families or 6,568 people from 17 barangays have been affected by Taal Volcano’s unrest.

Up to 1,166 families or 4,039 people are staying in 19 evacuation centers.

19 schools suspend classes

Classes were suspended in 19 public schools around the volcano, according to the Department of Education (DepEd).

”Our primary concern is the protection of children. If the situation continues to escalate – and we pray that it will simmer down – we will be making physical visits,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

She said the schools have been identified to be within the permanent danger zone or could be compromised in case of another eruption.

Briones said DepEd is monitoring the situation in these schools, some of which were used as evacuation centers.

Temporary jobs

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it would provide temporary jobs to workers displaced by Taal Volcano’s unrest.

“The immediate response of DOLE is to give them jobs for 10 days and salaries based on the minimum wage in the region,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in his report to Duterte yesterday. “The minimum wage in Region 4 is P400 a day. They will work for 10 days. We will give them P4,000 for 10 days.”

Bello said he hoped the number of affected families would no longer increase.

He said the department has prepared up to P100 million in assistance if Taal’s increased activity continues.

DOLE-Calabarzon regional director Exequiel Guzman said profiling of Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers or TUPAD beneficiaries from areas affected by the volcanic eruption is ongoing. – Mayen Jaymalin, Rainier Allan Ronda