In response to the ongoing volcanic activity at Mt. Kanlaon, Canlaon City Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas issued an executive order on Thursday, mandating the use of facemasks as part of heightened safety measures.
The city government is intensifying public safety precautions following reports of increased sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions from the volcano, which reached 11,556 tons per day, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
“To mitigate the risks associated with elevated SO2 levels and ensure public safety, it is necessary to enforce additional precautionary measures, including mandatory mask usage, a curfew, and restrictions on public activities,” the executive order stated.
A curfew for minors was also enforced, prohibiting them from loitering in public places from 10:00 PM unless accompanied by a guardian. The same applies to evacuation centers for safety and security purposes. Evacuation operations will also be suspended from 10:00 PM onwards.
Residents are advised to stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed to prevent SO2 from entering their homes. Classes remain suspended, and schools will stay closed until further notice.
Cardenas assured the public of strict enforcement of the mandatory facemask policy and curfew, with penalties for violators based on the City Regulation Ordinance. The ordinance also includes a liquor ban in public places and restrictions on gatherings.
All law enforcement agencies, including barangay officials, are directed to conduct regular inspections and monitoring to ensure compliance with safety measures.
Meanwhile, the Canlaon Volcano Observatory coordinated with the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) to enforce a “no-fly zone” over Mt. Kanlaon due to high SO2 emissions, which could pose a risk to aircraft flying over the volcano.
Engineer Mari Andylene Quintia, resident volcanologist of the Kanlaon Volcano Observatory, stated that Phivolcs recommends avoiding flights over Mt. Kanlaon as the volcano could erupt at any time, potentially affecting aircraft.
“We are in constant coordination with CAAP to ensure the safety of those traveling through the airspace,” Quintia explained.
There is also a possibility that Mt. Kanlaon’s alert level could be raised to Alert Level 3 if ground deformation or significant magmatic activity is detected, marking the first time in history that the volcano would reach this level.
“As of this monitoring, inflation remains steady but slow since 2022, with only minor inflation observed in the volcano,” Quintia added.
She further clarified that if Mt. Kanlaon reaches Alert Level 3, there will be visible magmatic intrusion, and the danger zone will expand from four kilometers to six kilometers.
Quintia emphasized that the city is currently experiencing SO2 emissions rather than ashfall, which has likely caused damage to crops due to exposure over the past three days. “We have not detected any visible ashfall since there has been no eruption, but the SO2 levels are high,” she stressed.
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