MANILA, Philippines (2nd UPDATE) - The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday afternoon has cancelled the tsunami alert issued after a powerful earthquake hit Chile Saturday.

"As of 3:00 p.m. 28 February 2010, Phivolcs has not received any reports of unusual significant sea level changes within the projected arrival period of tsunami waves in the Philippine coasts (1:00PM to 2:30PM)," the Phivolcs said in a bulletin posted on their web site. (Phivolcs web site: Tsunami Alert Cancellation)

"By 4:30 p.m. 28 February 2010, if no other significant sea level changes are observed, local authorities & the public can assume that the tsunami threat has passed. People may resume their normal activities," the statement said.

The said bulletin will be the last issued for the event, the Phivolcs added.

'Not an overreaction'

Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Glenn Rabonza said that they have not yet received reports from the field on significant sea level rise, which made them issue the downgrading of the alert.

"Nag-precaution lang tayo, so we are downgrading that already. Ibig sabihin, the danger has passed," Rabonza said.

He also defended the government's response, saying they did not "overreact".

"Hindi naman, kasi, unang-una, that is a protocol agreed upon in the Pacific rim. Sentro natin diyan is (the) Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, so they provided the advisory... kaya nga Pacific-rim-wide alert e, so we have to react," he said.

"Alam mo naman ang ating sistema dito sa NDCC, we provide advisory on the side of caution talaga kasi ayaw nating magkaroon ng casualties eh," Rabonza added.

The Philippine Coast Guard, meanwhile, said that seas around the country were observed to be generally calm.

Alert levels 1, then 2

Phivolcs issued on Saturday Tsunami Alert Level 1 and elevated the warning to Tsunami Alert Level 2 on Sunday as it advised the public, especially those living on the country’s eastern coastline, to stay alert for “unusual waves.”

Thousands living in provinces facing the Pacific Ocean evacuated their homes early Sunday hours.

Read: Thousands flee on tsunami alert

Officials said the evacuations were orderly, with authorities saying that the waves were not expected to be higher than 1 meter.

Watch: Hundreds in Surigao, Davao del Sur coastlines flee on tsunami fears
Watch: Albay residents warned of big waves

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) also canceled sea travels in Albay and Catanduanes.

All trips originating from the port of Batangas were canceled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, leaving 200 passengers and 30 vessels bound for Abra de Ilog, Occidental Mindoro and Calapan, Oriental Mindoro stranded.

Read: Trips in Batangas port canceled due to tsunami alert

According to PCG Batangas Station Commander Troy Cornelio, roll-on/roll-off (RORO) and fast craft vessels were prohibited from sailing as the country braced for outsized waves.

Renato Solidum, Phivolcs chief, said the first waves would hit the coasts of 19 provinces on the archipelago's eastern seaboard Sunday afternoon.

He said people living in coastal areas in the following provinces fronting the Pacific Ocean should seek higher ground: Batanes Group of Islands, Cagayan, northernmost provinces of Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Quezon, Aurora, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur.

"The coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean may experience tsunami of up to one meter, possibly lower," Solidum said.

"The first waves will arrive between 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. (0500 GMT and 0630 GMT)," he said.

Solidum said the waves will likely continue for several hours, and advised small fishing vessels not to venture out to sea, and for the public not to go to the beaches to watch the swells.

He said authorities will lower the tsunami alert level if they receive no more reports “during the first arrival of the tsunami from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Other government officials said that people should remain calm and no forced evacuation was in effect.

"We are advising everyone to stay away from the shoreline. But there is no need to panic," OCD's Rabonza said.

The Philippines is an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands with many people living in communities close to the sea.