PHIVOLCS has been watching the Mayon Volcano closely after it recorded more than 130 rockfall events in the past 24 hours as of January 7, 2025.

In a report by JP Soriano on 24 Oras, PHIVOLCS officials said the rockfalls happened as lava continued to pile up near the top of the volcano. This caused rocks to fall from the upper slopes.

PHIVOLCS Director Teresito Bacolcol said Mayon is now showing lava dome growth.

“Meron tayong lava dome growth. Ito yung makapal at malapot na lava sa ibabaw ng bulkan. Naiipon siya doon so lumalaki siya, so ibig sabihin nadagdagan ang lava,” Bacolcol said.

PHIVOLCS said it began to notice an increase in rockfall events as early as November 2025. The number grew further in the last week of December and continued into the New Year.

Alert Level 3 was raised last in Mayon in 2023, a situation that lasted for about six months before it was lowered to Alert Level 2. Bacolcol said the current activity looks similar to what happened then, but with one key difference.

“May nakita silang pamamaga o ground deformation,” Bacolcol said, explaining that the volcano is swelling due to pressure from below.

“Ibig sabihin may material ka na gumigitgit, tumataas, kaya siya namamaga. Signal ito na may ‘pressurization’ doon sa bulkan. So if this will follow the 2023 template, this would be longer than 2023 kasi nga meron kang magma,” he added.

Despite the signs, PHIVOLCS said it hopes Mayon will not reach Alert Level 4. Still, Bacolcol warned that conditions can change quickly.

“Anything can happen. Puwedeng magbago yung parameters natin kung biglang dumami yung volcanic earthquakes natin, kapag may lava flow na at mas mahahaba, kapag meron na tayong lava fountaining, ‘yun na yung itataas natin sa Alert Level 4,” he said.

PHIVOLCS said Alert Level 4 would be most dangerous for people living near the Permanent Danger Zone, as volcanic gases, ash, and hot rocks could rush down the slopes within an hour.

“It can incinerate everything on its path — bahay, tao, vegetation,” Bacolcol said.

Even without an alert escalation, the Office of Civil Defense said it is already preparing for possible emergencies.

“Maghanda tayo in terms of manpower, resources, yung mga evacuation centers and, of course, ang mga supplies na kailangan in the event na talagang magkaroon ng escalation,” OCD official, Asec. Raffy Alejandro, said.

PHIVOLCS also reminded the public that while there are 24 active volcanoes in the country, only four are currently under close monitoring with alert levels. These are Mount Kanlaon, Mount Bulusan, Taal Volcano, and Mayon Volcano, which remains under Alert Level 3.

PHIVOLCS reported that Mount Kanlaon showed ash emissions earlier in the day, but these remain consistent with its Alert Level 2 status.

The agency also denied online claims linking Mayon’s activity to Kanlaon.

“Walang relationship yung dalawa. Yung mga bulkan natin ay independent. Magkaiba ang mga magma chambers nila, magkakalayo,” Bacolcol said.

(With reports from JP Soriano, GMA Integrated News)