JOSE Roberto Nuñez, director of the Office of the Civil Defense-Western Visayas, said they are now closely monitoring Boracay Island in Panay and Mount Kanlaon in Negros Island, which is still on Alert Level 2.
Nuñez, in a press conference Sunday, said his office has been in support in terms of preparations and contingency plan to the Provincial Risk Reduction Management Council and that they have scheduled visits in all the surrounding areas of Mount Kanlaon.
Nuñez, who is the chair of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council-Western Visayas, also encouraged the local government units that if they have some requests pertaining to contingency measures and disaster preparations, they should coordinate with his office.
He also reminded the parents, as well as the teachers, to inform the school children of the proper evacuation areas in case of disaster so that parents would no longer go elsewhere to look for their children because they are already aware of the evacuation areas.
Latest monitoring of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported that Kanlaon Volcano’s seismic monitoring network detected four volcanic earthquakes in the past 24 hours.
Moderate emission of white steam-laden plumes that rose 600 meters was observed.
Alert Level 2 currently prevails over Mayon Kanlaon, meaning it is undergoing a moderate level of unrest.
Phivolcs reminded concerned local government units and the public that entry into the 4-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone is strictly prohibited due to further possibilities of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions.
It also reminded civil aviation authorities to advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ejecta from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft.