Tourists still off-limits on Taal Volcano island

Talisay, Batangas – It might take awhile before tourists can once again visit the volcano island and ride on their horses atop to the viewing deck and enjoy the beauty of the Taal Volcano.

     In its July 13 bulletin, the Phivolcs said that the volcano remains on alert level 2 status, which means that the volcano is undergoing magmatic intrusion that could eventually lead to an eruption.
     “The main crater remains off-limits to the public because steam-driven explosions may suddenly occur or high concentrations of toxic gases may accumulate,” Phivolcs said.
     It also warned the tourists from going to areas with hot grounds and steam emission such as portions of the Daang Kastila Trail as they are considered “hazardous.”
     “Furthermore, the public is reminded that Taal Volcano Island is a high risk area and permanent danger zone. Hence, habitation is strictly not recommended,” Phivolcs said.
     In the said bulletin, the agency said that it had recorded eight volcanic earthquakes from July 12 to 13, while the main crater lake’s water temperature is at 34 degrees Celsius.
     No significant changes, however, were noted in the volcano’s ground deformation measurements based on their July 10 survey.
     Lawrence Bañes, Phivolcs resident volcanologist said that the agency has not yet lowered the volcano’s alert status as they are still observing some other pertinent data that will serve as basis for their declaration.
     “We don’t only base (the alert status) on the number of earthquakes but we also observe other factors like the ground levelling, geochemistry and the precursors based on previous eruptions like increasing levels of seismicity and drying up of vegetation,” Bañes said in a phone interview.
     Bañes however said there's no need to panic as there are no signs yet that the volcano will erupt anytime soon.
     “People must stay alert and they must not panic because we will continuously monitor the volcano in 24 hours and in case (the situation) escalates, then we will inform them right away,” he added.
     Despite the volcano’s hazardous status, at least 6,000 people are currently living there, earning income from farming, fishing and guiding tourists to the volcano’s main crater.
     The Phivolcs has already recommended voluntary evacuation of island residents to safe areas but the Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council said that as of July 13, there are no evacuees, so far, coming from the Taal Volcano Island.
     Talisay municipal administrator Alfredo Ordinario said that despite the volcano’s risk, the residents have decided to stay in their houses within the island instead of going to the town’s evacuation center.
    “Those people won’t leave even if they have already felt high intensity earthquakes since they have their own boats anyway,” Ordinario said in a separate phone interview.
     The municipal administrator also said that the island residents have demanded the local officials to open the volcano once again for tourists as they have no other source of income. The municipal government however refused to adhere to their requests for safety reasons.
     “We really cannot allow the people to go there because it’s dangerous according to the Phivolcs,” Ordinario said.
     Classes of 300 pupils in the Pulo Elementary School in Talisay have also been suspended since June 15, as part of the municipality’s precautionary measures. The said school is located within the volcano island itself.
     It is still uncertain when the classes will resume as Ordinario said that their decision will depend on the Phivolcs’ advise.
     The Phivolcs had raised the Taal Volcano's alert level status from 1 to 2 last June 8, after observing some abnormal activities such as increasing number of volcanic quakes, ground inflation, increasing water temperature in the lake and intensification of steamic activities accompanied by hissing sounds.
     The municipal police stations of Talisay, San Nicolas, Agoncillo, Balete, Laurel, and Mataas na Kahoy towns have already installed checkpoints in their respective areas to prevent the tourists from coming to the volcano island and provide information on the volcano’s situation.
     Regarded as the world’s smallest active volcano, Taal has erupted for 33 times since 1572. A strong explosion in 1965 killed about 300 people. The volcano last erupted on October 3, 1977. (Marlon Alexander Luistro)