VOLCANO

What is a Volcano? A volcano is a landform (usually a mountain) where molten rock erupts through the surface
of the planet. In simple terms a volcano is a mountain that opens downward to a pool of molten rock (magma)
below the surface of the earth. It is a hole in the Earth from which molten rock and gas erupt.

Did you know? The name "volcano" has its origin from the name of Vulcan, a god of fire in Roman mythology.
As pressure in the molten rock builds up it needs to escape somewhere. So it forces its way up “fissures” which
are narrow cracks in the earths crust. Once the magma erupts through the earth’s surface it’s called lava

What is the difference between lava and Magma? Magma is liquid rock inside a volcano. Lava is liquid rock
(magma) that flows out of a volcano. Fresh lava ranges from 1,300° to 2,200° F (700° to 1,200° C) in temperature
and glows red hot to white hot as it flows.

What are the three layers the Earth is made of?

1. Crust The crust is the outer layer of Earth. It is about 18 miles thick. It is the part we live on.
2. Mantle The second layer is called the mantle. It is about 1,800 miles thick.
3. Core The inner layer is called the core

What causes volcanoes to erupt? The Earth's crust is made up of huge slabs called plates, which fit together like
a jigsaw puzzle. These plates sometimes move. Between the Earth's crust and the mantle is a substance called
magma which is made of rock and gases. When two plates collide, one section slides on top of the other, the one
beneath is pushed down. Magma is squeezed up between two plates.

Did you know? Volcanoes are like giant safety valves that release the pressure that builds up inside the Earth.

When magma erupts, what is it called? When magma erupts through the earth's surface it is called lava

Did you know? The world's largest, active volcano is Mauna Loa.The largest volcano (and mountain) in our Solar
System is Olympus Mons on the planet Mars. The volcano is 17 miles (27 km) tall and over 320 miles (520 km)
across.

Viscosity. Viscosity- fluidity of a liquid, it’s internal resistance to flow. Magma viscosity is affected by: –
Temperature, higher temperature lowers viscosity – Silica (SiO2) increase viscosity because stronger bonds are
formed – Increasing content of mineral crystals increases viscosity

Types of Volcanoes
Fissure Volcano. Fissure volcanoes have no central crater at all. Instead, giant cracks open in the ground
and expel vast quantities of lava. This lava spreads far and wide to form huge pools that can cover almost
everything around. When these pools of lava cool and solidify, the surface remains mostly flat. Since the source
cracks are usually buried, there is often nothing "volcano-like" to see - only a flat plain. A fissure eruption occured
at the Los Pilas volcano in Nicaragua in 1952
Composite Volcanoes. The most majestic of the volcanoes are composite volcanoes, also known as strato-
volcanoes. Composite volcanoes are tall, symetrically shaped, with steep sides, sometimes rising 10,000 feet high.
They are built of alternating layers of lava flows, volcanic ash, and cinders. Famous composite volcanoes include
Mount Fuji in Japan, Mount Shasta and Mount Lassen in California, Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier in
Washington State, Mount Hood in Oregon, and Mount Etna in Italy.
Cinder Cones. Cinder cones are simple volcanoes which have a bowl-shaped crater at the summit and
steep sides. They only grow to about a thousand feet, the size of a hill. They usually are created of eruptions from
a single opening, unlike a strato-volcano or shield volcano which can erupt from many different openings. Cinder
cones are typically are made of piles of lava, not ash. During the eruption, blobs ("cinders") of lava are blown
into the air and break into small fragments that fall around the opening of the volcano. The pile forms an oval-
shaped small volcano. Famous cinder cones include Paricutin in Mexico and the one in the middle of Crater Lake
in Oregon
Shield Volcanoes. Shield volcanoes can grow to be very big. In fact, the oldest continental regions of
Earth may be the remains of ancient shield volcanoes. Shield volcanoes are tall and broad with flat, rounded
shapes. They have low slopes and almost always have large craters at their summits. The Hawaiian volcanoes
exemplify the common type of shield volcano. They are built by countless outpourings of lava that advance great
distances from a central summit vent or group of vents. The outpourings of lava are typically not accompanied
by pyroclastic material, which make the shield volcanoes relatively safe during eruptions. Mauna Loa, a shield
volcano on the "big" island of Hawaii, is the largest single mountain in the world, rising over 30,000 feet above
the ocean floor and reaching almost 100 miles across at its base. Other famous shield volcanoes include Kilauea,
also in Hawaii, and Olympus Mons of Mars

What is the difference between an active, erupting, dormant and extinct volcano?
An active volcano is a volcano that has had at least one eruption during the past 10,000 years. An active
volcano might be erupting or dormant. An erupting volcano is an active volcano that is having an eruption.
A dormant volcano is an active volcano that is not erupting, but supposed to erupt again. An extinct
volcano has not had an eruption for at least 10,000 years and is not expected to erupt again in a comparable time
scale of the future.

Volcanic Products
• Pyroclastic flows are mixtures of hot gas, ash and other volcanic rocks travelling very quickly down the
slopes of volcanoes. They are one of the most dangerous hazards posed by volcanoes. Pyroclastic flows
are so hot and choking that if one is caught in one the person will certainly be killed. Because these flows
are very fast they cannot be out-runned!
• Lahars are mudflows formed by the mixing of volcanic particles and water. The direct impact of a lahar's
turbulent flow front or from the boulders and logs carried by the lahar can easily crush, abrade, or shear
off just about anything at ground level in the path of a lahar. The force of a lahar is so big that buildings
and valuable land may become partially or completely buried by one or more cement-like layers of rock
debris (even if not crushed or carried away).
• Volcanic ash is a volcanic rock which is exploded from a vent in fragments less than 2mm in
size. Volcanic ash-particles are like small sharp glass-particles that damage anything they come
across. During heavy ash-rains houses and buildings may collapse, people and animals may die by lack
of oxygen.
• Pahoehoe lavas flow smoothly and are often formed by small volumes of hot, fluid basalt. The higher
the volume of lava emitted the faster the current. When the pahoehoe lava flow cools, it often solidifies
to a smooth surface.
• Aa flows are emitted from the vent at high rates ranging to 50km an hour, often with much lava
fountaining. Aa flows are animated with sporadic bursts of energy. They may push down houses, walls
and forests. However, the hallmark of aa lava flows is the very rough surface it produces when it cools
and solidifies.
• Volcanic gas is contained within magma. As the magma rises to the Earth's surface the gases are
released. Because some gases are toxic they can suffocate people.

Types of eruptions
 Hydrothermal eruption. An eruption driven by the heat in a hydrothermal systems. Hydrothermal
eruptions pulverise surrounding rocks and can produce ash, but do not include magma. These are
typically very small eruptions
 Phreatic eruption. An eruption driven by the heat from magma interacting with water. The water can
be from groundwater, hydrothermal systems, surface runoff, a lake or the sea. Phreatic eruptions
pulverise surrounding rocks and can produce ash, but do not include new magma.
  Phreatomagmatic eruption.An eruption resulting from the interaction of new magma or lava with
water and can be very explosive. The water can be from groundwater, hydrothermal systems, surface
runoff, a lake or the sea.
 Strombolian and Hawaiian eruption. These are the least violent types of explosive eruptions.
Hawaiian eruptions have fire fountains and lava flows, whereas Strombolian eruptions have explosions
causing a shower of lava fragments.
 Vulcanian eruptions. Vulcanian eruptions are small to moderate explosive eruptions, lasting seconds
to minutes. Ash columns can be up to 20 km in height, and lava blocks and bombs may be ejected
from the vent.
 Subplinian and Plinian eruptions .
 Eruptions with a high rate of magma discharge, sustained for minutes to hours. They form a tall,
convective eruption column of a mixture of gas and rock particles, and can cause wide dispersion of
ash. Subplinian eruption columns are up to 20 km high, and are relatively unsteady, whereas Plinian
eruptions have 20 to 35 km tall columns which may collapse to form pyroclastic density currents
(PDC’s). Very rare Ultraplinian eruptions are even larger and have a higher magma discharge rate
than Plinian eruptions.

Volcanoes in the Philippines

There are 53 active volcanoes in the Philippines. The Philippines belong to the Pacific Ring of Fire where
the oceanic Philippine plate and several smaller micro-plates are subducting along the Philippine Trench to the
E, and the Luzon, Sulu and several other small Trenches to the W.
Tectonic setting of the Philippines. The tectonic setting of the Philippines is complex. It is characterized
by a number of small plates squeezed between 2 convergent plate margins, separated by small subduction zones
and major transform faults. The currently active volcanoes in the Philippines are found on several corresponding
volcanic arcs, which can be simplified into two major N-S trending arcs, the Luzon and Mindanao Volcanic Arcs.
The volcanoes of the Philippines are produced at the junction of the Philippines tectonic plate and the Eurasian
plate.
The volcanoes of the Philippines rank as the most deadly and costly in the world: about 13% of its historic
eruptions have caused fatalities, most notably at Taal and Mayon, and 22% of its eruptions caused significant
damage.
Lahars (mud flows) are very common in the Philippines, because the archipelago has often heavy rains.
Tsunamis accompany eruptions in the Philippines more often than in any other volcanic region.
Since the establishment of PHILVOLCS (the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology), the impact
and damage of the eruptions has been significantly reduced.

NORTH OF LUZON

Babuyan Claro
Babuyan Claro (Mt. Pangasun) is the largest and second youngest of 5 volcanoes that built up
Babuyan Island, 100 km off the north coast of Luzon, Philippines. Babuyan Claro is an active
stratovolcano of ca. 7 cubic km volume and has 2 summit craters of 300 and 400 m in diameter.
Smith volcano (Mt. Babuyan) 4 km to the NW of Babuyan Claro is the youngest volcano on the
island and forms a beautiful 668 m high symmetrical basaltic-andesite cinder cone with ca. 3 cubic km
volume.
Both Babuyan Claro and Smith volcanoes have apparently been active in historical time, although
it is not always certain which volcano erupted. Eruptions at Babuyan Claro are typically strombolian
and/or phreatomagmatic.
The Askedna Hot Spring is located at the southern base of Babuyan Claro.
The oldest volcanoes (Cayonan, Naydi, and Dionisio) started to form 1.7 million years ago and
consist mainly of calc-alkaline andesitic and basaltic andesitic lava flows.
 1980 landslide. Hot mudflows were triggered by a landslide 600 m above sea level on the NW
flank of Babuyan Claro volcano in early February 1980. The mudflows (lahars) damaged rice fields and
roads, and forced the evacuation of nearby residents. (Source: GVP monthly reports)

Camiguin de Babuyanes
Camiguin de Babuyanes volcano is a small stratovolcano on the SW tip of the 22 km long
Camiguin Island in the Babuyan archipelago, 35 km off the north tip of Luzon Island.
Note: A volcanic island called Camiguin is located off the north coast of Mindanao Island.
The andesitic Camiguin volcano is forested and has 2 prominent flank cones relatively far from
the main summit vent, Minabul to the north and Caanoan to the east, both on the northern part of the
island.
The southern part of Camiguin Island has 3 volcanic centers aligned SSE-NNW, Mount Camiguin
stratovolcano itself and the young andesitic lava domes of Mt. Malabsing and Pamoctan.
A phreatic eruption, possibly in part submarine, happened around 1857. At present, there are
fumaroles on the SW, W and E flanks of the volcano and a hot boiling water spring near sea level on the
W flank.
(Source: GVP volcano information)

Didicas volcano
Didicas volcano is a small volcanic island 22 km NE of Camiguin Island, 60 km off the northern
coast of Luzon, Philippines.
Until 1952, it was a submarine volcano that had previously formed temporary islands during
eruptions. In the eruption of 1952 the submarine volcano formed a new lava dome that surfaced above sea
level and has become now a permanent new island.
Didicas volcano now consists of a small, 244-m-high andesitic lava dome about 1.4 km in its
longest diameter.
A 400-m-wide crater was formed during the 1952 eruption. The first recorded submarine eruption
of Didicas occurred in 1773.
In an eruption in 1860, Didicas also built a new island, the first recorded cone of Didicas breaching
the sea surface. It reached a height of 213 m in 1860, when the eruption ended, but it was soon eroded
beneath the sea, because it mainly consisted of loose tephra. 3 rock masses up to 82 m high were left after
an eruption in 1900. 2 more eruptions occurred since 1952 at an explosion crater on the northern side of
the island.

1969 eruption of Didicas

A new 20 m wide crater formed on the N side of the island and was observed for the first time on
27 March 1969 during a reconnaissance flight. The crater measuring was filled with muddy boiling water,
the northern half of the island was covered by thick whitish-gray ash and the sea water in front of the
crater was discolored.
3 people who were fishing near the coast of Didicas Island drowned when a volcanic tsunami
generated by the eruption "swollowed" them.

Iraya volcano
Iraya is an active stratovolcano on Batan Island, 200 km north of Luzon, Philippines. It is the
northernmost active volcano in the Philippines. Its last eruption probably happened in 1454 AD, but little
details are known about this eruption.
It seems that Iraya volcano's eruptions were exclusively explosive, forming many pyroclastic
flows. There are no lava flows. In 1998, an earthquake swarm occurred beneath the volcano.
Background:
The morphologically young Iraya volcano is the most prominent feature of the 20-km-long Batan
island. It has a 1.5-km-wide summit crater largely filled by a younger cone that forms the present-day
summit. 2 older volcanoes form the rest of Batan Island:
 Mahatao volcano is the oldest and was active until the late Miocene (ca. 5 million years ago), and
forms the center of Batan Island. Matarem volcano in the south was active until about 2 million years ago
(early Pleistocene).
Iraya belongs to the Babuyan Segment, the least evolved of 4 segments of the Luzon volcanic arc.
It has developed on the western part of the Philippine plate, where the South China oceanic and Eurasian
plates are being subducted along the Manila Trench.
There are three volcanoes on Batan Island. Iraya volcano is located in the north of the island and
has been active since Late Pleistocene.

LUZON ISLAND

Ambalatungan
The Ambalatungan group is a cluster of several volcanoes on northern Luzon Island, Philippines,
conprising Ambalatungan, Bumabag, Podakan, and Binuluan volcanoes, aligned roughly E-W.
Ambalatungan volcano is dacitic in composition, and has a steep-walled crater, inside which there
are hot springs and strong fumarole vents which produce loud noises and have sulphur deposits.
Bumabag volcano is located only 3 km east of Ambalatungan and has 2 craters that also produce strong
fumarolic activity.
Podakan volcano is 1 km SE of Bumabag and also has a large steam vent.
A possible steam eruption might have occurred from Mount Binuluan in 1952, which killed 12 people by
a sulfur-rich debris flow.

Amorong
Amorong volcano a small lava dome in NW Luzon Island, 80 km NNE of Pinatubo volcano, and
belongs to the Eastern Volcanic Chain or Balungao Group, a chain of subduction volcanoes behind the
Manila Trench.
It is the only of a group of several lava domes that still has fumarolic activity. It was active from
about 740,000 years ago.
Background:
The chemistry of Amorang's lavas is unusual in that is has elevated Niobium (Nb) and high Cr, Ni
and Mg concentrations which can not be explained by qan unusual degree of mantle melting alone, and
probably involve contamination by crustal rocks as well.

Arayat
Arayat is a forested stratovolcano above the flat Central Plain of Luzon Island and located NE of
Angeles city, Philippines. It belongs to the Eastern Volcanic Chain, which includes Mounts Balungao,
Cuyapo, Amorong and Arayat volcanoes.
Mt. Arayat's cone is probably built upon an older crater of 900 m diameter, whose remnants form
the northern (1026 m) and southern (920 m) peaks.
There are no known eruptions in historic times, but weak fumarolic activity is present on the NW
summit of Arayat volcano.
Background:
A large breached crater on the WNW side was formed by a large debris avalanche that occurred
within the past 500,000 years and left a large hummocky deposit in the plain at the W and NW feet the
volcano.
Post-collapse volcanic activity formed the White Rock andesitic lava dome inside the collapse
scar.

Banahaw
Banahaw volcano is a complex of 3 volcanoes 80 km SE of Manila, Philippines. The Banahaw
volcanic complex includes Mt Banahaw (2158 m), San Cristobal (1470 m), and Banhao de Lucban (1870
m) volcanoes.
 Mild explosive eruptions might still occur at the Banahaw volcano complex, although none of the
reports of historic activity can be verified by deposits or credited sources.
Background:
Banahaw has a 2-km-wide, 600-m-deep summit crater open to the SSW and contained a crater
lake until 1730, when it drained to form mudflows. Similar events took place in 1743?, 1843 and 1909.
A large collapse of the NE flank of Banahaw produced a debris avalanche deposit with a volume of 5
cubic km. The event lest a 8 km wide and more than 1 km deep horse-shoe shaped depression extending
from 1700 m to 650 m altitude.
The oldest deposits from Banahaw volcano are known as the Lucena pyroclastic flow deposits,
visible on the shore at Tayabas Bay near Lucerna City and at the eastern base of Banhao de Lucban
stratovolcano.
Banhao de Lucban is the youngest stratovolcano of the group. It forms a steep cone on the eastern
flank of Banahaw volcano, and overlies the debris avalanche of Banahaw volcano, and therefore is
younger than that event.
San Cristobal stratovolcano lies on the western flank of Banahaw volcano. It has a youthful shape
indicating a younger age than Banahaw. The absence of soil covering the youngest volcanic layer of San
Cristobal ("San Cristobal 3 unit") suggest that it might be younger than 2000 years.

Binuluan
Binuluan volcano belongs to the Ambalatungan volcanic group and is located in the Kalinga
Province, Luzon Island, Philippines. A possible steam eruption of Binuluan volcano in 1952 killed 12
people by a sulphur rich debris flow.

Bulusan
Bulusan, one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines, is Luzon's southernmost volcano. It
lies at the SE end of the Bicol volcanic arc occupying the peninsula of the same name that forms the
elongated SE tip of Luzon island.
Background:
Bulusan is a young andesitic volcano built upon the NE rim of an older dacitic-to-rhyolitic caldera,
the 11-km wide Irosin caldera, which was formed about 35,000-40,000 years ago.
Bulusan is flanked by several other large intracaldera lava domes and cones, including the prominent
Mount Jormajan lava dome on the SW flank and Sharp Peak to the NE. The summit of 1565-m-high
Bulusan volcano is unvegetated and contains a 300-m-wide, 50-m-deep crater. Three small craters are
located on the SE flank.
Many moderate explosive eruptions have been recorded at Bulusan since the mid-19th century.

Cagua
Cagua is an active stratovolcano at the NE tip of northern Luzon Island, Philippines. It has a
circular summit crater of 1.5 km diameter, with steep, 60-m-high walls, and is locally known as the "Fire
Mountain". The volcano might have erupted in 1907, when strong fumarole activity was noted. A phreatic
explosion in 1860 may have generated pyroclastic flows.
At present, there are thermal areas near the summit crater and on the NW and NNE flanks.
Background:
Mount Cagua volcano belongs to the Babuya segment where it is part of a N-S line of the active
volcanoes, east of the older, now extinct volcanic range of Northern Luzon.
The lavas of Cagua are basaltic and andesitic in composition and belong to the calcalkaline series.
The volcano has been formed in 3 phases:
1. Effusive eruptions feeding basaltic-andesite and basaltic lava flows between 1.5 and 1.2
Million years ago.
2. Explosive eruptions with thick andesitic pyroclastic flows in the interval from 600,000 -
300,000 years ago. These deposits covered the entire volcano.
3. Recent phreatomagmatic activity producing ash flows.
Mount Iriga
Mount Iriga volcano is a small stratovolcano immediately SW of Lake Buhi in southern Luzon,
Philippines.
The volcano is dominantly andesitic in composition, but has several basaltic flank cones. It has a
large crater breached to the SE, which formed during a massive flank failure that produced a large debris
avalanche which buried several villages and formed a hilly, irregular deposit on the plain south of Lake
Buhi 4 km from the summit.
Background:
Iriga is part of the Bicol volcanic arc which comprises at least 12 volcanic vents and complexes
and is one of the 3 historically active, but the least active centers of the arc (the other 2 being Mayon and
Bulusan). Iriga has only 2 known recorded eruptions in historic times.
The catastrophic debris avalanche of Iriga volcano had been believed to have occurred during the 1628
AD eruption, but later work has now shown that the collapse and eruption occurred earlier at some
unknown date in the past few thousands years. The avalanche was followed by phreatic explosions that
created a small crater at the base of the scarp.
Lake Buhi is a large shallow lake of 18 km2 surface near Iriga volcano and lies in the valley
formed by the 2 older Mt. Asog and Mt. Malinao volcanoes. . It has an average depth of 8 meters. It has
probably been crated by the an earthquake in 1641, when a portion of Mt. Asog collapsed to form a natural
dam.
The lake is famous as one of the few lakes that contains the sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis)
which is the world's smallest commercially-harvested fish.

Isarog
Isarog volcano is an andesitic stratovolcano of Naga city, in SE Luzon, Philippines. It is part of
the Bicol volcanic chain, and could still be active although no historic eruptions are known. The volcano
has active fumaroles, steam vents and hot springs.
Background:
Isarog volcano forms the broad isthmus between Lagonoy Gulf and San Miguel Bay. The volcano
is truncated by a 2.5-km-wide crater breached to the east where is drained by the narrow gorge of the
Quinarag River.

1915-16 earthquakes & seismic unrest

On 8 November, 1915, frequent earthquakes were felt on and around Isarog volcano, with some
occasional noises. Landslides occurred on the slopes of Isarog volcano. The seismic swarm repeated itself
2 or 3 times at long intervals until 10 January, 1916. The volcano was thickly wooded, even inside of the
crater, and nobody observed any fumaroles.

Mount Labo
Mount Labo volcano is located SW of the city of Daet at the northwestern end of the Bicol
Volcanic Arc on Luzon Island, Philippines.
It is a forested, andesitic stratovolcano with a basal diameter of 24 km. Labo last erupted about
27,000 years ago, but still shows geothermal activity, in the form of warm and hot springs. There is
geothermal exploration near Labo volcano.
Background:
The Labo stratovolcano has erupted many andesitic-to-dacitic flank lava domes. Its earliest
eruptions date back 580,000 years ago and constructed lava domes on the northern side of the complex.
The present stratovolcano started to be built about 270,000 years ago. The latest known activity occurred
27,000 years ago and produced pyroclastic flows from the summit vent.
Laguna volcano
The elliptical, 10 x 20 km wide caldera of Laguna de Bay is located immediately SE of Manila
city, Philippines. It is the largest lake on Luzon Island and its surface is only 1 m above sea level. Jalajala
is a fumarole field on the flank of Mount Sembrano on the shore of Laguna de Bay.

Background:
Pre-caldera eruptions formed basaltic to basaltic-andesitic volcanoes, including the extinct Talim
Island and Mount Sembrano stratovolcanoes located on opposite sides of the current caldera.
The caldera has formed during at least 2 major explosive eruptions about 1 million and 27,000-29,000
years ago.
Activity after the caldera formation consisted in the formation of explosion craters on the southern
end of the Talim Island at the SW rim of the caldera. Some of these maars are young, but their precise ago
is unknown.

Makiling
Makiling volcano is a small perhaps still active stratovolcano in Laguna Province, Luzon Island,
Philippines, on the southern shore of Laguna de Bay close to Manila city. Hot springs are located near
Makiling at Los Baños town.

Malinao volcano
Malinao volcano (also known as Buhi or Takit) is a forested stratovolcano north of Mayon volcano
and 3 km west of Malinao town, in southern Luzon, Philippines.
The volcano contains a large summit crater breached to the east.
Malinao was active from about 500,000 to 60,000 years ago, and is probably now extinct. Reports
of an eruption in 1628 are probably false and relate to a large debris avalanche and eruption at Iriga
volcano.
On the eastern flank, it contains Luzon's largest solfatara field and hot springs with deposits of
silicious sinter.
Background:
Malinao volcano is surrounded by deposits of debris avalanches that form a ringplain. Volcanic
deposits of Malinao, particularly well exposed on the northeastern flank, suggest that it had been a similar
(mainly explosive) activity as nearby and highly active Mayon volcano, including airfall deposits and
pyroclastic flows.
Malinao's lavas are mainly highly porphyritic andesite.

Malindig volcano
Malindig volcano (also known as Marlanga), is an andesitic stratovolcano at the southern tip of
Marinduque Island, west of the Bondoc Peninsula on Luzon Island, Philippines.
The summit has sharp peaks. No recent eruptions have occurred at the volcano. Hot springs are
active at its western base.

Mariveles volcano
The small, but voluminous Mariveles stratovolcano is located at the southern end of the Bataan
Peninsula, on the west side of Manila Bay, Luzon Island, Philippines.
Although there are no known eruptions in historic times, it is a still active stratovolcano of andesitic
composition. It has a 4-km-wide caldera open to the south. Mount Slamet on the north and Mount Limay
on the east are 2 large, young flank cones.

Masaraga
Masaraga is a stratovolcano with a pointed top located 10 km NW of Mayon volcano on Luzon
Island in the Philippines. The flanks of the andesitic-to-ryholitic volcano are covered by forested thick
lava flows, indicating no recent eruptions, but it is thought that it has erupted during the past 10,000 years
and might still be active.

Mayon
Mayon, the most famous of the active volcanoes of the Philippines, is a perfect stratovolcano rising
to 2462 m on Luzon Island. It erupts very frequently.
Background:
Mayon is the archetype of a symmetrical stratovolcano and one of the world most active ones. It
has frequent eruptions producing pyroclastic flows, mud flows and ash falls that repeatedly triggered
large-scale evacuations. Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1200 people and
devastated several towns. the volcano rises 2462 m above the Albay Gulf and has very steep upper slopes
averaging 35-40 degrees capped by a small summit crater.
Historical records of eruptions date back to 1616 and range from strombolian to basaltic plinian,
with cyclical activity beginning with basaltic eruptions, followed by longer term andesitic lava flows.
Eruptions occur predominately from the central conduit and have also produced lava flows that travel far
down the flanks. Pyroclastic flows and mudflows have commonly swept down many of the approximately
40 ravines that radiate from the summit and have often devastated populated lowland areas.

Natib volcano
Natib is a massive andesitic stratovolcano located at the northern end of the Bataan Peninsula,
Luzon Island, Philippines.
It is truncated by a 6 x 7 km wide caldera. The age of its last activity is uncertain and the volcano
might still be active. 5 thermal areas are present in the summit region.

Panay volcano
Mount Panay is small andesitic stratovolcano on the Calumpang Peninsula west of the Batangas
Bay, south of Lake Taal, Luzon Island, Philippines. Panay may be extinct with its last eruptions being
more than 10,000 years ago, but it still has strong solfataric activity.
Background:
Batangas Bay lies at the intersection of 2 major regional trends, the Bataan Lineament and the
Palawan-Macolod Lineament, and may represent a submarine caldera.

Patoc volcano
Mount Patoc is an andesitic stratovolcano in the Cordillera Central of north-central Luzon,
Philippines. It has strong fumarolic activity. A small river and a village on the west side are named
"Mainit", which means hot.

Pinatubo volcano
Pinatubo volcano exploded spectacularly on 15 June 1991. The Pinatubo eruption on 15 June 1991
was the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. Pinatubo is a complex of lava domes located
100 km NW of Manila city, Luzon Island, Philippines.
Prior to the eruption, Pinatubo was a little known volcano and it had been dormant for 400 years.
There were no known historic eruptions. Before the eruption in 1991 Pinatubo was 1745 m high (ca. 250
m more than now), and was only 200 m higher than the nearby peaks, which are remnants of older volcanic
edifices of Mt Pinatubo and hid it from views from distance. Pinatubo mostly noted for a failed geothermal
development project.

Eruptions of Mount Pinatubo

Pinatubo has had at least 6 periods of activity with large explosive eruptions in its past 35,000
years prior to the 1991 eruption. The 1991 eruption in this context actually ranks as one of the smaller
eruptions. An eruption, which occurred 35,000 years ago and probably created the caldera, was likely
much bigger.
 Regional setting:
Pinatubo is flanked to the west and probably underlain by by the Zambales Ophiolite Complex, an
easterly-dipping section of Eocene oceanic crust which was uplifted in the late Oligocene.
The second unit are sediments of the Tarlac Formation, mostly sandstone and siltstone in the older parts,
and conglomerates and volcanic sediments and dikes in the younger. The Tarlac formation is found in the
north, east and southeast of Pinatubo and formed contemporary with the oldest known volcanic centers in
the area, including Mount Mataba or the diorite of the Dizon Mine, the sub-surface remnant of an ancient
vent.
The ancient volcanoes of the Tarlac Formation originated from the same east-dipping subduction
along the Manila trench that continues to the present.

Ancient Pinatubo:
Pinatubo was formed in 2 stages. The ancestral Pinatubo started to form about 1 million years ago,
and built an andesite - dacite stratovolcano whose center was at the same location as today. Remnants of
this precessor are seen in the ancient 3.5x4.5 wide caldera. Ancient Pinatubo had a number of flank vents,
that formed the domes of Mount Negron, Mount Cuadrado, Mataba, Bituin plug, and the volcanic plug of
Tapungho.
Deep erosion in the Sacobia, Porac, Marimla, and Porac River valleys, and weathering of the lavas
suggests that activity of the ancestral volcano ended several tens of thousands of years (or more) before
the caldera-forming eruption and initial growth of the modern Pinatubo (ca. 35,000 years ago).
Modern Pinataubo:
After the 1991 eruption, scientists (mainly from PHILVOLCS & USGS) carried out intensive
fieldwork on the deposits of present-day Pinatubo to analyze its eruptive history. They distinguished at
least 6 eruptive periods of modern Pinatubo, characterized by repeated, large explosive eruptions:
Inararo Eruptive Period -- >35,000 14C yr B.P. The largest eruption in the history of modern
Pinatubo occurred 35,000 (radiocarbon) years ago. It deposited up to 100 m or more of pumice and ash
flows on all sides of Mount Pinatubo.
Sacobia Eruptive Period -- ~17,000 yr B.P. A phase of explosive eruptions occurred 17,000
years ago and produced 2 debris flow deposits which are visible on the north bank of the Sacobia River.
Pasbul Eruptive Period -- ~9,000 yr B.P. A large explosive eruption occurred ca. 9000 years
ago. It produced pyroclastic-flow and tephra-fall layers exposed along the road between Sitio Pasbul,
Camias, Porac, and the Gumain River. The pyroclastic flows overtopped the southeastern rim of the
Tayawan caldera and nearly or completely filled the valley of the Gumain River.
Crow Valley Eruptive Period -- ~6,000-5,000 yr B.P. Large eruptions 6,000-5,000 years ago
produced pyroclastic flow deposits on both sides of upper Crow valley.
Maraunot Eruptive Period -- ~3,900(?)-2,300 yr B.P. Eruptions in this period produced
pyroclastic flows and lahars.
Buag Eruptive Period -- ca. 1450 AD The last activity cycle prior to the 1991 eruption was in
1450 ± 50 AD. It produced pyroclastic flows that entered all valley of Pinatubo except the Gumain and
Porac rivers.

Pinatubo Aeta people

The forested area of Pinatubo mountain was also known as home for a tribe of the Aeta people,-
the small, dark skinned, and kinky haired people believed to be the nearest descendants of the original
inhabitants of the Philippines, who arrived through land bridges that linked the Philippines with the Asian
mainland some 30,000 years ago. They considered the mountain the home of Apo Namalyari, the Great
Protector and Provider. (Source: CCP Encyclopedia of Arts)
2009 earthquake & lahars On 31 October 2009 a magnitude 5.0 tectonic earthquake with a depth
of 79 km hit 37 km WSW of the summit of Pinatubo volcano. Heavy monsoon rains caused by typhoon
Kiko generated heavy floods in August 2009. 12 people were killed in the town of Botolan in August
2009.
 2001-2004: caldera lake changes During 2001 the caldera lake on Mt Pinatubo rose to dangerous
levels and the water changed color in January 2004.
1991 Plinian eruption of Pinatubo - the 2nd largest in the 20th century
The June 15, 1991 eruption was probably the second largest explosive eruption of the 20th century, second
in size only to the Katmai 1912 eruption in Alaska. It was about ten times larger than the eruption of
Mount St. Helens in 1980.

Pocdol Mountains volcano

The volcanic Pocdol Mountains (also known as Bacon-Manito complex) are a group of volcanic
cones between Saragon Bay and Albay Gulf in southern Luzon.
Some of the cones are probably only a few thousands of years old. A fumarole field and a geyser
are found in the area, suggesting it might be still volcanically active.

Background:
The dominantly andesitic Pocdol Mountains form a triangle-shaped area of ca 225 sq km size. The
domes and cones in the western part of the complex are old and eroded, but those in the eastern part appear
to be much younger.

San Pablo volcano

The San Pablo volcanic field, (also known as the Laguna volcanic field) in Rizal Province, Luzon
Island, Philippines, lies at the southern end of Laguna de Bay, the largest lake on Luzon Island.
Background:
The San Pablo volcanic field contains dozens of scoria cones and maars. 3 generations of maars
are present: the oldest are shallow and filled with sediment and the youngest still contain deep crater lakes.
Most of the vents in the volcanic field follow a NE-SW trend. According to local legends, the
youngest explosion crater, the 1.2-km-wide Sampaloc Lake, was formed only about 500-700 years ago.
The highest point of the volcanic field is formed by the eroded Maquiling (Makiling) andesitic-to-
rhyolitic stratovolcano. Maquiling still has a 480 m deep crater and several parasitic cones, maars. Many
fumarole fields are found at its northern base and a geothermal project is located on the south flank of
Maquiling volcano.
Laguna de Bay lake borders the town of Manila at its SE margin. The lake is a caldera that erupted
ca. 47,000 year ago (radiocarbon dating of charcoal in a ash flow deposit).

Santo Tomas volcano

Santo Tomas volcano on Luzon Island, Philippines, is one of the highest stratovolcanoes of the
country. It has many volcanic vents and fissures. A report about an eruption or "displacement" in the
region on January 4, 1641, described as an outburst of water accompanied by an earthquake, probably is
related to the major eruption of Parker volcano in southern Mindanao on the same day.
Note: another volcano with the same name exists in Guatemala.

Taal volcano
Taal volcano with its lake-filled 15x20 km wide Talisay (Taal) caldera is a beautiful caldera
volcano, but also one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes of the Philippines. Taal has had some
of the country's largest and deadliest eruptions: At least 6 eruptions during the recorded history of Taal
since 1572 claimed fatalities, mostly from powerful pyroclastic flows, as well as tsunamis produced in the
crater lake.
Background:
The Taal caldera is largely filled by Lake Taal, whose 267 sq km surface lies only 3 m above sea
level. The maximum depth of the lake is 160 m, and contains several eruptive centers submerged beneath
the lake. All historic eruptions took place from the 5-km-wide volcanic island in the northern-central part
of the lake.
 The island is formed by overlapping stratovolcanoes, cinder cones and tuff rings (maars). Historic
eruptions have seen the constant change and growth of the island.
Taal caused one of the worst volcano disasters in history: its eruption in 1911 killed 1334 people
and caused ash fall as far as Manila city. Due to its devastating potential, Taal was declared one of the
"Decade Volcanoes" in the Decade Volcanoes program of the 1990s in order to incentive study and
monitoring of the volcano. Taal is today one of the most closely monitored volcanoes in the region. An
increase in seismic activity under Taal was recorded in November 2006, followed by an increase in hot
water springs in the crater in April 2007.

CENTRAL PHILIPPINES

Biliran
Biliran volcano comprises the whole 20x35 km Island of Biliran which is formed by a group of
lava domes. It is located across the narrow Biliran Strait from the northern tip of Leyte Island.
Biliran volcano is at the northern end of a 170 km long volcanic chain extending SSE to Panaon Island.
The only known historic activity took place on 26 September 1939 and consisted of a phreatic explosion
accompanied possibly by a debris avalanche. Ash fell in Caibiran town 12 km to the E.
There are many fumarole fields, hot springs, mud pools and thermal areas on Biliran.

Cabalian volcano
Mount Cabalían volcano is located on the SE tip of Leyte Island, Philippines. It is is an andesitic
stratovolcano with steep radial erosion valleys and ridges that are moderately to thickly vegetated.
It contains a summit crater filled by a lake. The crater rim is irregular and forms 2 peaks on the S side. A
recent pyroclastic flow deposit was radiocarbon dated to be only about 150 years old. Hot springs with
temperatures of up to 64 deg C are found on the east and west flanks of Cabalían.

Cancanajag volcano
Cancanajag volcano is a complex of lava domes located 6.5 km NNW of Lobi volcano on Leyte
Island, Philippines.

Canlaon volcano
Canlaon volcano (also spelled Kanlaon) on Negros Island is one of the most active volcanoes of
the Philippines and the most active one of the Central Philippines. It forms the highest peak of Negros
Island and is located west of Canlaon about 36 km southeast of Bacolod City and belongs to Canlaon
National Park.
Background:
Canlaon, part of the Negros Volcanic Belt, is a large stratovolcano dotted with numerous flank
cones and craters, many of which contain lakes.
The summit of Kanlaon contains a 2-km-wide, elongated caldera with two craters. One is inactive
and contains a crater lake. The second crater to the south is smaller, higher and contains the historically
active vent, Lugud crater. Lugud crater is 250 m wide and 150-200 m deep. The base of Kanlaon measures
an area of 30 km x 14 km.
Historical eruptions from Kanlaon have been recorded since 1866. Most historic eruptions were
small to medium sized phreatic explosions, causing minor ash fall near the volcano. Canlaon's geologic
record of past deposits include a remarkable large debris avalanche, that resulted from flank failure of the
volcano and traveled 33 km to the SW.

Cuernos de Negros volcano

Cuernos de Negros (also known as Magaso) is a large stratovolcano complex located in SE Negros
Island, Philippines, near the city of Dumaguete. It is unknown when it has erupted after since the last
radiocarbon-dated activity about 14,000 years ago. At present, it still has active fumaroles at the highest
crater of Magaso, sulphuric springs at the ESE flanks and hot springs on the NE flank.
 An increase in fumarolic activity was observed after (and probably triggered by) a major tectonic
earthquake in 1902.
The Palinpinon geothermal field is located south of the Okoy River on the north side of the
volcano.
Background:
The andesitic to dacitic to Cuernos de Negros volcano forms most of the SE tip of Negros Island.
The eastern side of the complex consists of 2 overlapping stratovolcanoes and a lava dome. There are 2
crater lakes up to 1.5 km in diameter. The lower western part of the complex contains 4 volcanic centers.
Negros Island is situated in a back-arc basin where regional extension causes volcanism.

Mahagnao volcano
Mahagnao volcano (also known as Kasiboi or Casiboi) is a forested andesitic stratovolcano in
central Leyte Island, Philippines.
The volcano contains a steep-walled forested summit crater open to the south. Malagsom and
Danao are 2 lakes located on the south flank. Malagsom Lake is an acidic crater lake with green color.
Danao Lake is a freshwater lake with an irregular shoreline and hot springs on its southern side.

Mandalagan volcano
Mandalagan volcano in northern Negros Island, Central Philippines, is an eroded dominantly
andesitic-dacitic volcanic complex. It is formed by 7 volcanic edifices and has at least 5 craters of up to 2
km in diameter, some of which are probably calderas. The age of its last eruptions, which produced a thin
basalt lava flow, is unknown.
Mandalagan has very active fumaroles in at least 11 locations.
One fumarole field is particularly powerful. It emits a high-temperature (106 degrees C) plume to 30 m
height accompanied by a roaring noise like a high-pressure geothermal borehole.
Mandalagan volcano is part of the northern Negros volcanic arc which also contains Mt Silay
(1534 m), Mt Kanlaon (2465 m). Mt Mandalagan volcanoes.

Silay volcano
Silay volcano is the northernmost volcano on Negros Island lies 28 km east of Silay City. It is a
basaltic-andesite stratovolcano with a partially breached, 3.5-km-wide summit caldera. It is unknown
when the last eruptions occurred at Silay volcano. The Malisbog solfatara field has fumarolic activity and
extensive sulfur deposits.

SULU ISLANDS

Jolo volcano
Jolo volcano is a group of young cinder cones and explosion craters on the 60-km-wide Jolo Island
located off the Zamboanga Peninsula on SW Mindanao Island in the southern Philippines 190 km NE of
Sabah, Malaysia.
It is part of the Sulu arc and contains several young volcanic vents, including Mt. Dakula near
Lake Panamo, the probably youngest cone of the island, Tumatangus volcano, at 811 m the highest point
of the island, Bud Dajo (or Buddajo), a young basaltic cinder cone (620 m), and the cones of Matanding,
Guimba, and Sungal.
Although not much sign of activity was detected during a survey in 1990, the last volcanic activity
probably took place as recently as in 1897, when a submarine eruption accompanied by a tsunami was
reported on 21 September. This activity most likely took place al Lake Seit, where a still active solfatara
is found.
Hot springs also occur at the craters on Cagayan Sulu.
A reported eruption in 1641 most likely was the eruption of Parker volcano on Mindanao instead.
 Background:
Geology of Jolo Island Jolo belongs to the Zamboanga Arc formed by the SE subduction of the
young Sulu oceanic basin beneath the Zamboanga peninsula. The compositions of its lavas can be roughly
divided into 2 groups, primitive Nb-enriched tholeitic basalts and more evolved calc-alkaline basalt-
andesites. Some of the primitive basalts are unusually rich in titanium (Ti).

MINDANAO
Apo volcano
Apo volcano is the highest mountain in the Philippines, and its name means "Master" or
"Grandfather". There are no known historic eruptions, but the volcano is considered still active.
Background:
Apo volcano is an a basaltic to basaltic-andesitic stratovolcano and part of the Central Mindanao
Arc, but its volcanic history is poorly known. The densely forested volcano has a flat summit with 3 peaks,
the highest of which in the SW is known as Davao volcano and has a 500 m wide crater with a small
lake.
The youngest crater is located on the northern peak. Several fumaroles and sulfur deposits occur
on the volcano, most notably fumaroles along a fissure on the SE side down to 2400 m elevation.
The Mt. Apo Geothermal Field is a 8.4 km2 geothermal exploration field near Mt Apo, which has been
being exploited since October 1996

Balatukan volcano
Balatukan (also known as Balingoan or Balatocan) is a massive compound stratovolcano on the
SW shore of Gingoog Bay, 15 km SW of Gingoog city in north-central Mindanao, opposite Camiguin
Island, Philippines. Lava flows on its flanks are 140,000 years old and it is not known whether there are
younger volcanic products. Although the volcano still has fumarolic activity, it might be extinct, as the
strong degree of erosion of its flanks suggests.

Balut volcano
Balut volcano (also known as Sanguil) is a small island of the Sarangani group south of the
Batulaki Peninsula at the south end of Mindanao Island in the Philippines.
The age of the last activity on Balut volcano is unknown, but hot springs and thermal areas are
active on the W and SW flanks of the volcano.

Hibok-Hibok volcano
Hibok-Hibok volcano (also known as Catarman volcano) is the youngest and the only historically
active volcano on Camiguin Island, which is located 9 km off the north coast of Mindanao Island,
Philippines.
Camiguin island itself is a 292 sq km oblate, 20 km long island composed of 4 overlapping
stratovolcanoes and some flank cones.
Eruptions of Hibok-Hibok volcano are often Pelean-type, i.e. dome building and the generation of
nuées ardentes (= hot pyroclastic flows generated by partial dome collapse).
Prior to the 1948 eruption, sulfur was mined at the crater of Hibok-Hibok.
Note: A volcanic Island called Camiguin de Babuyanes is located north of Luzon Island.
Background:
Geologic history of Camiguin Island and its volcanoes
The Camiguin volcanoes formed on an NW-SE trend, roughly parallel to the Central Mindanao
Arc, with the active vents migrating from SE to NW over time. The earliest eruption center was from
Camiguin Tanda volcano, now buried on the floor of the Bohol Sea. Later volcanic activity formed the
now eroded Mt Butay and Ginsiliba stratovolcanoes on the SE tip of Camiguin Island, as well as
the Binone cinder cone on the SE coast.
Mt. Mambajao volcano in the center forms the highest peak of Camiguin Island. Its fresh-looking
shape including a summit and flank lava domes suggests a relatively age, but there are no known historic
eruptions. One of its flank domes partially fills a crater breached to the NW.
Young Hibok-Hibok lies in the NW of the island about 6 km NW of Mt. Mambajao. It is andesitic-to-
rhyolitic in composition and contains several lava domes, including Mt. Vulcan on its NW flank. Major
eruptions during 1871-75 and 1948-53 formed flank lava domes and produced pyroclastic flows that
devastated villages at the coast.
1948-1953 eruption of Hibok-Hibok volcano A significant eruption started on 1 September
1948. A large explosion from the summit crater of Hibok-Hibok volcano, preceded by a week of intense
earthquakes. The explosion created a cauliflower-shaped eruption plume and produced devastating
pyroclastic flows and lahars down the NE side of the volcano. 8 suare km land were invaded and destroyed.
In May 1949, a new lava dome started to grow in the crater.
The new lava dome continued to grow during the next 2 years dome and had become a prominent
feature by late 1951. On 4 December 1951 pyroclastic flows went down the NE flank of the mountain and
reached the outskirts of Mambajao town where 500 people were killed. Large amounts of pumice and ash
were found in the deposits, indicating that these pyroclastic flows were generated primarily by the
explosion of fresh magma rather than dome collapse.

Kalatungan volcano
Kalatungan volcano (also known as Catatungan), is the second highest volcano in the Philippines
and located 47 km east of Lake Lana on Mindanao Island.
The dominantly basaltic volcano forms a broad E-W trending ridge. The age of its last activity is
unknown.

Latukan volcano
Latukan is a poorly known volcano SE of Lake Lanao, in NW Mindanao Island (Philippines). The
probably still active volcano lies in the center of a chain of young E-W trending stratovolcanoes, between
the active Ragang and Makaturing volcanoes. The age of Latukan's last activity is unknown.

Leonard Range volcano

Leonard Range (also known as Leonard Kniazeff) volcano is an andesitic-dacitic volcanic complex
with a 4x5 km caldera. It is located east of Davao Gulf in SE Mindanao, east of the major N-S-trending
Philippine Fault and belongs to the East Mindanao Arc.
The last activity of Leonard Range probably occurred about 1800 years ago, indicated by
radiocarbon dating of charred wood found in a pyroclastic flow deposit on the edge of the caldera.
The caldera contains Lake Leonard known for its abundance of fish species and as a surviving
habitat of the rare Philippine crocodile. Several thermal areas and solfataras occur at Leonard Range.
Background:
The earliest known activity at the Leonard Range was 1.1 million years ago. A series of lava domes
were built in the area around Lake Leonard from about 290,000 years ago. The latest epoch of activity
occurred during the past 20,000 years and produced the Paloc pyroclastic deposits during an eruption
between 6,000-1,800 years ago, which also formed the caldera.
The Leonard Range (or North Davao) area is the site of a geothermal exploration program.
Manat thermal area is located north of Lake Leonard, solfataras occur its SW rim, and active
solfataras, fumaroles, and hot springs are found in the Amacan-Gopod thermal area south of the lake.
Lake Leonard is located inside the caldera and contains freshwater with fish species including
Anguila pacifica, Clarias batrachus, Glossogobius giurus, Ophicephalus striatus and Tilapia mossambica.
It is also home to the the endangered Philippine crocodile Crocodylus mindorensis which is found at the
lake during the breeding season in July-September.

Makaturing volcano
Makaturing is a stratovolcano at the shore of Illana Bay located about 40 km South of Marawi city,
in central Mindanao, Philippines. It is part of the Central Mindanao Arc. Many eruptions reported from
Makaturing were actually from neighboring Ragang volcano, and there are only 2 confirmed historic
eruptions at Makaturing, the last being in 1882. Makaturing volcano is densely vegetated at present, but
there is solfataric activity suggesting that the volcano is only dormant.

Malindang volcano
Malindang volcano is a stratovolcano on the western margin of Iligan Bay in north-central
Mindanao Island, 20 km NE of Tambulig, Philippines. It is part of the Malindang National Park.

Background:
The basaltic to andesitic Malindang stratovolcano contains a small summit caldera. There are no
known historic eruptions, but legends tell of a large eruption in the past.

1991 earthquake and false eruption alarm

In 1991, a tectonic earthquake coincided with rumblings from a thunderstorm on the volcano and
reports about volcanic activity spread rapidly, triggering a false eruption alarm and authorities started
widespread evacuations. No eruption occurred, but a previously unknown geothermal area was
discovered.

Matutum volcano
Matutum is a symmetrical stratovolcano located in southern Mindanao, NW of Sarangani Bay and
30 km NNW of General Santos City.
The mountain, a popular hiking destination, has a well-preserved summit cone and a 320 m wide
and a vegetated 120 m deep summit crater. The crater is breached by 3 large canyons.
Background:
The plains around Matatum volcano are covered by silicic pyroclastic-flow deposits, the youngest
of which were radiocarbon dated at about 2000 years ago. 2 thermal areas, Akmoan and Lianan, are found
on the WSW flank of the volcano.
Tectonic setting of Matutum volcano Matutum volcano belongs to the Cotabato Arc, caused by
the eastward subduction of the oceanic Celebes Sea microplate along the Cotabato trench under the
southern tip of Mindanao Island, which belongs to the Philippine Mobile Belt. Mt Matutum is located 130
km from the trench. Deep-seismic studies show that the subducting slab is only 75-85 km below Mt
Matutum volcano.

Musuan volcano
Musuan volcano (also known as Calayo volcano) is an isolated lava dome near the Pulangi River
at the western base of Mt Tangkulan (1678 m) in Bukidnon Province in central Mindanao, Philippines.
Background:
The low cone is grass-covered and andesitic-to-dacitic in composition. Musuan last erupted in Dec
1886, as a Jesuit priest reported who visited the volcano 4 years later in 1891, at which time there was still
strong fumarolic activity, which prevented closer examination. The eruption was probably phreatic in
nature, and was reported to have "burned everything around it".

1976 seismic swarm A strong earthquake swarm occurred near Musuan volcano in 1976.

Paco volcano
Paco volcano (also known as Manlayao) is located at the NE tip of Mindanao Island, Philippines.
It is an basaltic-dacitic stratovolcano truncated by 2 nested calderas, 2.5 and 5 km in diameter. The volcano
is located east of the N-S-trending Philippine Fault which cuts through eastern Mindanao.
It has a breached crater with andesitic lava domes. The youngest dated rocks are from a basaltic
lava flow between 90,000 and 10,000 years old. Local legends tell about a major caldera collapse
eruption.
The age of the last activity is not known, although the volcano currently displays fumarolic
activity.
 Parker volcano
Parker volcano (also known as Falen locally) is a low, but steep-sided vegetated stratovolcano
located 30 km west of General Santos City, near the southern tip of Mindanao Island, Philippines.
The andesitic-dacitic volcano contains a 2.9 km diameter summit caldera with a lake, Lake
Maughan (2 km diameter).
Parker was recently identified as the source of a major explosive eruption in 1641, which caused
devastating pyroclastic flows and lahars, and heavy ash fall and darkness over Mindanao Island. The 1641
eruption was one of 3 large explosions of Parker volcano within the past 3800 years. It created the present-
day summit caldera.
The eruption style of Parker volcano is similar to Pinatubo volcano, which had a Plinian eruption
in 1991.

2002 earthquake & crater lake landslide. A magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred near Parker volcano on
6 March 2002 and an eruption alarm was triggered. The quake caused a portion of the volcano's crater
wall to breach and fall into Lake Maughan at the top of the volcano. The landslide caused a flood from
the lake that washed away houses and about 33 families were evacuated from river banks below Lake
Maughan.

Ragang volcano
Ragang is an active stratovolcano 40 km SE of Marawi city, Mindanao Island, Philippines. It is
Mindanao's most active volcanoes and belongs to the Central Mindanao Arc. Most of its historic eruptions
were small explosive eruptions from the summit crater.
The volcano has a deep summit crater with a prominent 3 km long lava flow extending to the
SE. The last confirmed eruption of Ragang volcano was in 1873.

Works Cited:
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/philippines.html
https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/
https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/volcanoes/faq/active_erupting.html
https://www.gns.cri.nz/Home/Learning/Science-Topics/Volcanoes/Types-of-Volcanoes-Eruptions