QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. urged the residents in the surrounding areas of Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon province to be vigilant over the raising of the alert status.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) on Wednesday, October 12, raised the Alert Level from 0 to Alert Level 1 over the volcano due to a state of low-level unrest.

On its latest bulletin released as of 14 October, 5:00 am, PHIVOLCS has recorded 164 volcanic earthquakes during the past 24 hours. Meanwhile, moderate emission of plumes that rose 400 meters before drifting east-southeast was observed. Bulusan also emitted 279 tons of Sulfur dioxide (SO2) on September 29, 2022.

President Marcos Jr. then assured that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and other government agencies are ready to secure everyone's safety.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office V ensures the availability of food and non-food items for resource augmentation. As of October 12, 6:00 pm, a total of 29,518 Family Food Packs (FFPs) and 47,261 non-food items have been pre-positioned to satellite /LGU warehouses. The amount of P5 million is also on a standby fund for any eventuality.

Local government units and the public are reminded that entry into the 4-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) is strictly prohibited and entry without vigilance into the Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) must be exercised due to the increased possibilities of sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines must also advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as ash from any sudden phreatic eruption can be hazardous to aircraft. (KAA -PIA CPSD)