More cops deployed around Mayon

Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief P/Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. on Tuesday ordered the deployment of additional units around Mayon Volcano as authorities prepare for a possible expansion of the Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) from six to seven kilometers.

Nartatez said police forces were working closely with local government units and community partners to prevent unauthorized entries into high-risk areas, as Mayon continued to show signs of heightened unrest.

“The PNP is coordinating with our grassroots partners. We have established direct communication lines between local police stations and barangay intelligence networks,” he said, noting that joint foot patrols with barangay tanod were being conducted to secure entry points and back trails leading into the danger zone.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) earlier warned that Mayon’s activity could escalate, prompting discussions on expanding the PDZ to seven kilometers. The move would widen evacuation coverage in already affected villages, where some residents have reportedly attempted to return to tend their farms or retrieve their belongings.

Nartatez said barangay officials play a key role in monitoring such movements, as local knowledge helps identify residents attempting to reenter restricted zones.

Police units have been directed to maintain round-the-clock checkpoints and increase visibility along access roads and footpaths leading to the volcano, in line with the directives of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla.

“Our commanders have been instructed to exercise maximum tolerance but to enforce a strict no entry policy,” Nartatez said. “Those entering for farming will be assisted back to evacuation centers after being informed of the risks, including pyroclastic density currents.”

He said stricter action will be taken against individuals violating restrictions for non-essential reasons such as sightseeing, with possible coordination with local governments for penalties.

Renewed volcanic activity

The heightened security response follows renewed volcanic activity, including a fast-moving pyroclastic density current (PDC) recorded Tuesday morning along Mayon’s southwestern flank. Phivolcs said the surge was triggered by the collapse of an accumulating lava flow.

Despite the activity, Phivolcs maintained Alert Level 3, noting no significant change in overall monitoring parameters. However, officials warned that unstable lava accumulation continued to generate successive collapses and PDCs.

In the past 24 hours, Phivolcs recorded 336 rockfall events and 14 volcanic earthquakes, including tremors lasting up to eight minutes. Sulfur dioxide emissions were measured at 1,829 tonnes per day, with a crater glow and ash plumes rising up to 1,000 meters observed.

Ashfall and low visibility have affected nearby municipalities such as Camalig and Guinobatan, prompting health authorities to advise residents to remain indoors, seal their homes against ash intrusion, and wear N95 masks when going outside.

Phivolcs reiterated that entry into the six-kilometer PDZ remains strictly prohibited, while aviation authorities were warned to avoid flying near the volcano due to the ash hazard.

Relief measures

In response to the situation, the Social Housing Finance Corporation (SHFC) announced a one-month moratorium on amortization payments for affected communities from 2 May to 1 June 2026.

The measure, ordered by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, aims to provide temporary financial relief to families impacted by the eruption.

“In times like this, our priority is to stand with our communities and provide them with the support they need to recover,” SHFC president and CEO Federico Laxa said.

The agency said it continues to monitor the affected areas and coordinate with local offices to provide further assistance as needed.