Lawmaker asks Philvocs to reveal status of Mt. Apo

A LEGISLATOR wants an update of the status of Mt. Apo as the alert level for Taal volcano remained precarious.

Councilor Nilo Abellera in a privilege speech said that despite the classification of Mt. Apo as an inactive volcano, he still wants to file a resolution for the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology

(Philvocs) to reveal the status of the country’s tallest peak.

“This information that they will provide will be instrumental to the local government unit,” he said. “We can use this information to give precautions or safety measures to the residents of Davao City.”

“This will also make us more prepared for this kind of catastrophe,” he added.

While Mt. Apo is closest to Davao City (45 kilometers from Digos City side), there is one listed active volcano in Davao Region. Mt. Leonard Kniaseff straddles the towns of

Maco and Mabini in Davao de Oro.

Alfredo Baloran, City Risk Reduction and Management Office head, said the local government is continuously doing assessments to find possible shelter areas in case of a major eruption. The city government is currently constructing a P26-million evacuation center in Barangay

Los Amigos, Tugbok District.

Last March 18, 2019, the Philvocs declared that Mt. Taal is under alert level 1 and its status was raised from level 2 to level 4 almost a year after. The agency recommended an evacuation of residents living in the 14-kilometer radius from the mouth of the volcano.