What is ‘uson’? It’s found in Bicol, not in Malacañang

No, it's not about Mocha.

These days, the word "uson" is being used in news reports about Mayon Volcano, making a lot of people scratch their heads.

Bicolanos, the part of the population most affected by the Mayon Volcano's wrath, naturally have a language for the landform's hazards—and among the words they use is "uson," which they and scientists use to refer to the deadly pyroclastic flow.

Pyroclastic flows are fluid-like masses composed of rock fragments and gases that flow down a volcano's slopes. It is different from lava, or molten rock. 

Bicolanos call pyroclastic flows "uson," said Ed Laguerta, chief volcanologist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) in Region V.

He was quoted in a report by GMA News' Saleema Refran as saying that pyroclastic flows could kill on contact, as what happened in a 1993 eruption.

"Dito sa Bicol, uson 'yan. Uson na mainit that would cause instant death upon contact with any living creature. 'Yan ang napakainit na nangyari noong 1993," he said.

But burning is just one way pyroclastic flows could be deadly.

"Pyroclastic flows can kill people by burial when it is thick, [and by] burning or incineration, impact force, asphyxiation when thin," PHIVOLCS director Renato Solidum told GMA News Online.

Some netizens took notice of the use of "uson" in a Saksi report for its similarity to the name of Presidential Communications Operations Office Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson, who again made news after she mistook the location of the Mayon Volcano for Naga, instead of Albay.

But for anyone wondering about pronunciation, Solidum said, "It is pronounced fast, not slow."

Uson—the Palace official—has apologized for her trending location gaffe, calling out her bashers for playing up what she said was a "small issue."

The restive Mayon Volcano again spewed ash from 11:33 to 12:28 p.m. Thursday, but scientists cannot yet tell how tall the ash plume was and in what direction it drifted due to obscuring by clouds, said Lois Jumawan of the PHIVOLCS' volcano monitoring division.

All they could ascertain as of posting time is that the ash ejected was greyish brown in color, and accompanied by rumbling sounds, she said.

Six episodes of "intense but sporadic" lava fountaining occurred between 06:02 a.m. Wednesday to 3:00 a.m. Thursday, according to PHIVOLCS' latest Mayon bulletin. —KG, GMA News