NEGROS Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said he is hoping that the alert level of Kanlaon Volcano will remain at Alert Level 2 so they do not need to evacuate more people in the area.
This was after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) issued an advisory on Monday, September 15, 2025, reminding the public that Alert Level 2 prevails over Kanlaon, which means that the volcano is in a state of increased unrest.
The Phivolcs said a total of 72 volcano-tectonic or VT earthquakes have been recorded by the Kanlaon Volcano Network between 12 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Monday.
The strongest of these VT earthquakes was felt at Intensity I in La Carlota City, Negros Occidental, and Canlaon City, Negros Oriental.
VTs are generated by rock fracturing processes and the increase in VT activity strongly indicates progressive rock-fracturing beneath the volcano as rising magma or magmatic gas drives a path towards the surface.
The increase in VT events could lead to increased chances of steam-driven or phreatic eruptions or short-lived weak to moderately explosive eruptions occurring at the summit that could generate life-threatening volcanic hazards such as pyroclastic density currents or pyroclastic density currents (PDCs), ballistic projectiles, ashfall, rockfall and others, according to Phivolcs.
Lacson said they will always be guided by the alert level set by Phivolcs.
“Right now, it’s Alert Level 2, it means that nobody should be in the four-kilometer permanent danger zone,” he said.
He added that those who lived there before are still in evacuation centers.
The governor noted that they are in constant communication with the Phivolcs.
If another evacuation takes place, Lacson said it will affect more residents from La Castellana.
"La Castellana will definitely depend on the help coming from the province," he said. (MAP)