The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) reminded the public against the dangers of exposure to volcanic smog or vog from Taal Volcano after it was monitored anew in several areas in Calabarzon (Region 4A).
OCD Administrator Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said Taal's vog was monitored in at least 20 cities and municipalities in Batangas since Sunday, Oct. 8.
The affected areas were Balayan, Laurel, Agoncillo, Rosario, San Pascual, Sto. Tomas, Calatagan, San Jose, Balete, Malvar, Alitagtag, Talisay, San Nicolas, Mataas na kahoy, Tuy, Lian, Nasugbu, Lemery, Calaca and Tanauan.
"Taal vog was once again monitored yesterday. We remind the residents to take precautionary measures. Rest assured that the OCD is actively monitoring the activity of the volcano and the situation in the affected areas. Our regional counterpart in Calabarzon has been on alert to ensure the safety of the communities. The national government is ready to send assistance if necessary," Nepomuceno said on Monday, Oct. 9.
According to OCD, class suspensions for Oct. 9 were declared in various areas in Batangas and nearby provinces of Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal due to Taal's vog.
Meanwhile, the DOH has reported a total of 714 cases of respiratory complaints including 49 cases in Cavite, 16 in Laguna, 638 in Batangas, and 11 in Rizal.
The affected residents reported experiencing sore throat, difficulty of breathing, cough, and other symptoms.
Nepomuceno advised the residents in the affected areas to limit exposure to vog by avoiding outdoor activities and staying indoors, close doors and windows to block out the vog, drink water to address throat irritation, and seek medical attention in case of emergency.
Nepomuceno assured the readiness of the Office to address the needs of the residents in areas affected by Taal's vog.
The OCD said that a total of 96,800 face masks have been provided to residents in Batangas, Cavite and Laguna to protect the communities from health hazards.
The OCD also continued to cascade warnings for safety precautions and monitor vog-related health cases to keep the public informed about the latest situation regarding Taal's vog.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) observed on Monday the upwelling of hot volcanic fluids at the Main Crater Lake and sulfur dioxide emission (SO2) of 2,887 tons a day which caused the formation of vog around Taal Volcano.
Vog consists of fine droplets containing volcanic gas such as SO2 which is acidic and can cause irritation of the eyes, throat and respiratory tract with severities depending on the gas concentrations and durations of exposure, Phivolcs said.
People who may be particularly sensitive to vog are those with health conditions such as asthma, lung disease and heart disease, the elderly, pregnant women, and children, it added.