Agoncillo Mayor Dan Reyes on Monday denied that they are enforcing lockdowns in two barangays in the city.
This comes after reports circulated of a lockdown in barangays Banyaga and Bilibinwang in Agoncillo City in Batangas, following the phreatomagmatic burst of Taal Volcano on Saturday.
According to Reyes, no lockdown is in effect, and residents are only urged to evacuate their homes due to uncertainty surrounding the volcano.
"Ngayon naman po wala po tayong pinatutupad na lockdown, pinakikiusapan muna natin kung maaaring lisanin po muna natin ang lugar sapagkat lubhang mapanganib, hindi po natin alam kung anong pwedeng mangyari," the Agoncillo mayor told DZRH.
(For now, we are not implementing a lockdown. We are just asking everyone to evacuate the area because it extremely dangerous. We do not know what would happen.)
"Mas maigi na po 'yung ready tayo, mas malayo po tayo doon sa seven-kilometer danger zone," he added.
(It is much better to be ready, to be away in the seven-kilometer danger zone.)
Reyes also said that the police will be present to ensure that the seven-kilometer danger zone is implemented, and encouraged the public to follow the law enforcement authorities.
"Kung maaari po sumunod tayo, at binibigyan naman po ng window hours para po kayo ay makabalik diyan sa area po natin," he said.
(Please let us follow, and you will be given window hours to return to your areas.)
WATCH: Mayor Dan Reyes pinasinungalingan ang umano'y lockdown sa ilang barangay ng Agoncillo, Batangas sa gitna ng banta ng Bulkang Taal | via RH06 @sherwinbata #SamaSamaTayoPilipino pic.twitter.com/VxQgl2DHYb
— DZRH NEWS (@dzrhnews) March 28, 2022
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) previously recommended the evacuation of residents in barangays located in Taal Volcano Islands, including Bilibinwang and Banyaga in Agoncillo, as well as Boso-bobo, Gulod, and eastern Bugaan East in Laurel, due to "possible hazards of pyroclastic density currents and volcanic tsunami should stronger eruptions subsequently occur."
