Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas assured the public on Wednesday, June 21, that the local government is closely monitoring the status of Taal Volcano which remains under Alert Level 1 status.
Mandanas made the assurance amidst the ongoing unrest in Mayon Volcano in the province of Albay.
The governor allayed concerns regarding the smoke plume that came out of Taal Volcano which he said emerged due to the rains in the area.
"Tumaas ang usok dahil nabasa ng ulan yung nagbabagang lava sa ilalim pero Level 1 pa rin kami. Nung tumaas yung usok, halos seven kilometers o almost 7,000 meters," Mandanas explained during DZRH's DILG sa DZRH Breaktime.
"Ngayon din kapag umuulan, tumataas ng five o six (kilometers)," he added.
Mandanas stressed that the local government has not monitored any other changes in Taal Volcano, except for the smoke plume.
"Yung naman tremors, ganoon pa rin. Wala naman pagbabago. Iyon lang ang nangyari pero ngayon humuhupa na. Kapag walang ulan, wala tayong malakas na usok," Mandanas said.
In 2020, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) placed Taal Volcano under Alert Level 4 staus following a phreatic eruption that produced that reached up to Metro Manila.
The eruption forced an evacuation from the volcano island, as well as cancellation of classes, and flights across the Luzon region.
