Rosal orders no-man ban as Mt Mayon unrest intensifies

By Rhaydz Barcia

LEGAZPI CITY --- Albay Governor Noel Rosal has ordered the strict observance of “no man’s land” restrictions within the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) as unrest at Mayon Volcano intensified at the start of 2026.

Rosal issued the directive on January 1, 2026, following the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s (PHIVOLCS) decision to raise Mayon’s alert level from Alert Level 1 (low-level unrest) to Alert Level 2 (increasing or moderate unrest).

“Based on the Mayon Volcano Bulletin issued on January 1, 2026 at 6:00 a.m., Alert Level 2 has been raised, indicating current unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could lead to a hazardous magmatic eruption,” Rosal said in PDRRMC-APSEMO Advisory No. 1.

In view of the situation, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC), through APSEMO, ordered the following measures for disaster avoidance and public safety:

• Strictly no human activity inside the six-kilometer Permanent Danger Zone, including mountain climbing, orchid picking, and vegetable harvesting;

  
  

• All-terrain vehicle (ATV) rides are limited to the Cagsawa Ruins area only, while operations in all other areas are temporarily suspended;

  
  

• Declaration of a no-fly zone directly above Mayon Volcano;

  
  

• Temporary closure of Mayon Skyline until further notice; and

  
  

• The Philippine National Police, through the Albay Provincial Police Office, is directed to enforce the restrictions in coordination with the concerned local government units.

Rosal also directed all city, municipal, and barangay disaster risk reduction and management councils surrounding Mayon to remain on heightened alert, maintain preparedness and monitoring status, and mobilize resources as necessary.

The public was advised to remain vigilant and to await official updates and further advisories from PHIVOLCS and local authorities.

“We are now under Alert Level 2. There will be limited ATV operations and no entry to Mayon Skyline for safety purposes. Strict compliance is required,” the governor said.

Meanwhile, Mariton Antonia Bornas, chief of the Volcano Monitoring and Eruption Prediction Division of PHIVOLCS, warned local disaster officials and the public to remain on guard following the escalation of magmatic unrest at Mayon Volcano.

Bornas said that since November 2025, an increase in rockfall from the summit lava dome has been recorded by the visual and seismic monitoring systems of the Mayon Volcano Network.

“A total of 599 rockfall events were detected in the last two months of 2025, averaging 10 events per day. However, during the last week of December 2025, the average increased to 21 events per day. On December 31, 2025 alone, 47 rockfall events were recorded—the highest in a single day over the past year,” Bornas said.

She noted that increased rockfall at Mayon has been a precursory sign of magmatic dome growth within the upper edifice, similar to conditions observed prior to the 2023 eruption.

Bornas added that while there have been no significant volcanic earthquake or sulfur dioxide anomalies, ground deformation has remained anomalous for nearly 18 months—unlike the 2023 unrest episode.

Long-term ground deformation data from electronic distance measurement (EDM), continuous GPS, and electronic tilt monitoring indicate that Mayon’s edifice, particularly the eastern to northeastern slopes, has been swelling or inflating since June 2024. Short-term inflation on the western to southwestern slopes began in May 2025.

“Persistent and increasing rockfall, coupled with long- and short-term swelling of the edifice, may indicate an increased likelihood of an eruption at the summit of Mayon, generating life-threatening volcanic hazards that could impact surrounding communities,” Bornas said.

PHIVOLCS reiterated that Alert Level 2 means ongoing unrest driven by shallow magmatic processes that could lead to hazardous magmatic eruptions. The public is strongly advised to refrain from entering the six-kilometer PDZ to reduce risks from sudden explosions, pyroclastic density currents (PDCs or uson), rockfalls, landslides, and ballistic projectiles.

Local government units were also advised to prepare communities within the PDC hazard zone for possible evacuation should unrest escalate further. Civil aviation authorities were likewise urged to advise pilots to avoid flying near Mayon’s summit due to the risk posed by ash and ballistic fragments.

PHIVOLCS said it continues to closely monitor Mayon Volcano and will immediately communicate any significant developments to concerned stakeholders.