BATANGAS CITY – The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) on Saturday advised the public to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities and wear N95 respirator masks amid the renewed emission of volcanic smog (vog) by Taal Volcano.
Dr. Amor Calayan, PDRRMO head, said the steaming is brought by too much water in Taal’s crater and adds sulfur to the air.
“It is a normal scenario for an abnormal volcano like Taal Volcano,” she said.
“We remain in Code Blue, which means we are 24/7 on alert monitoring the volcano,” she said, but added the current state will remain at Alert Level 1 as it continues to show slight activity or low level of volcanic unrest.
According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, vog is a type of air pollution caused by volcanoes which consists of fine droplets containing volcanic gases, such as sulfur dioxide.
Some of the common effects are eye and throat irritation, but could cause respiratory tract infection and may turn serious depending on the duration of inhalation or exposure to it.
The PDRRMO monitored the towns of Mataas na Kahoy, Balete, Talisay, and Laurel Saturday and distributed N95 masks to residents.
“We have also requested the Provincial Health Office for an oximeter in each town,” she added, referring to the device that measures the saturation of oxygen carried in red blood cells.
A normal reading should be at least 95 percent.
The locals are highly encouraged to drink plenty of water to relieve irritation and constriction of the respiratory tract.
The public was reminded anew that while there is no manifestation of a volcanic eruption, students who are attending face-to-face classes and the elderly must be checked regularly.
Due to the presence of vog, some towns have suspended classes and are implementing modular distance learning for the meantime.
On Friday, 36 students from Bayorbor, Mataas na Kahoy were reported to have experienced chest pains, difficulty in breathing, and dizziness.
They were taken to different hospitals, with 17 allowed to return home right away.
Batangas Gov. Hermilando Mandanas assured that the PDRRMO operations center is doing round-the-clock monitoring of changes in the volcano.