Classes in Mayon schools to open as scheduled

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines — Despite the still abnormal condition of Mayon Volcano, schools located between six and seven kilometers away from the crater will open classes on schedule, education officials in Bicol announced yesterday.

May Jumamil, spokesperson for the Bicol education department, said the main office issued an order declaring the opening of classes on June 4 and the closing on April 15, 2019.

“The memo did not mention any specific school in Albay whose opening of classes will be delayed because of the abnormal condition of Mayon Volcano,” Jumamil told The STAR.

She said there are at least six schools located between the boundary of the six-and seven-kilometer permanent and extended danger zones surrounding Mayon.

Unless the local government issues an order not to hold classes yet in these schools, the DepEd will push through with the school opening as scheduled.

The schools are located in Barangays Mayon in Tabaco City, Calbayog and Canaway in Malilipot, Anoling in Camalig and Miisi in Daraga.

A video taken recently over Mayon by a Philippine Air Force plane showed no dome or volcanic materials at the crater, according to Cedric Daep, chief of the Albay public safety and emergency management office.

“This means that Mayon’s abnormality is on a downward trend,” Daep told The STAR.

He said activities between the permanent and extended danger zones could be allowed under the present condition of Mayon, which is still at Alert Level 2.

Trekking and summit climb remain strictly prohibited.

Paul Alanis, spokesman for the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs) monitoring division, confirmed that Mayon’s abnormal condition is declining.

“All the abnormal parameters of Mayon are now simmering down,” Alanis said.

They are assessing if the status of Mayon could be lowered to Alert Level 1.

In the past 24 hours, Phivolcs recorded five volcanic earthquakes and sulfur dioxide emissions.