The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) assured the public on Thursday that the government is implementing measures to ensure safety and provide prompt assistance to affected areas following the phreatomagmatic eruption of Taal Volcano on Wednesday afternoon.
“As President Marcos noted this morning, protocols are in place. The national government stands ready to assist, especially if the situation deteriorates,” said Civil Defense Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno.
“The OCD, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), and our regional and local government partners in Calabarzon are closely monitoring the situation and taking necessary precautionary measures,” he added.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) issued a notice yesterday regarding a minor phreatomagmatic eruption at Taal Volcano, which lasted for eleven minutes, occurring between 4:21 PM and 4:32 PM.
PHIVOLCS has raised Alert Level 1 over Taal Volcano, indicating that it remains in an abnormal state with a persistent threat of eruptive activity.
In its advisory, PHIVOLCS stated, “At Alert Level 1, sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas can occur and threaten areas within the Taal Volcano Island.”
Meanwhile, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) CALABARZON has reinforced orders regarding the No Human Settlement Area as mandated by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) for the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape through Resolutions No. 65 (2020) and 01 (2021). The RDRRMC issued Memorandum No. 123 (2024) to reiterate these resolutions.
“These resolutions underscore the critical importance of keeping the island free from human habitation due to the inherent risks posed by the active volcano. The PAMB, which governs the Taal Volcano Protected Landscape (TVPL), strictly prohibits any form of settlement on the island to ensure public safety and preserve the ecological integrity of the area,” the RDRRMC CALABARZON statement read.
The government urges the public to avoid entering Taal’s Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), particularly around the Main Crater and the Daang Kastila fissure.
Residents in affected areas are advised to remain vigilant, take necessary precautions, and heed warnings and advisories issued by authorities.
