Tourist destinations closed due to 'restive' Mayon
By Jose Carretero, ABS-CBN Bicol | 07/10/2009 12:04 AM
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LEGAZPI CITY - With the restiveness of Mayon Volcano, the city government of Tabaco has ordered the temporary closure of Mayon Planetarium and Science Park, situated inside the six-kilometer danger zone in Barangay Buang.
The Mayon Planetarium is one of the province's most popular tourist destinations, mostly visited by students in educational tours because of its modern planetarium. The science park also serves a popular hambuger named “space burger”.
Aside from the planetarium the place is also a haven for extreme sports fanatics because of its zip line and wall climbing facilities.
The place is also known in the area as Little Tagaytay or Little Baguio because of the cold temperature and the fog that engulf visitors.
Residents affected
The temporary closure of the planetarium have also affected residents living near the area.
Aside from farming, residents sells orchids and bonsai plants to tourist visiting the areas to supplement the family income.
Residents said tourist arrival has significantly decreased since last week.
Lorna Vibar, an orchid vendor, recounts she lost most of her costumers now.
"Kung dati nagbebenta kami ng P250 hangga't P500, ngayon wala, zero talaga," Vibar said.
But they also fear for their safety. Vibar said she often hears rumbling sounds, which she knows is coming from the volcano.
She said they are willing to vacate their residences should the abnormalities of the volcano intensifies.
What they can do as of this moment, Vibar said, is just to pray for their safety and for the volcano's activity to subside.
Survey starts
Meanwhile, a team of geologists from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) central office started the ground deformation survey at Buang levelling site in Barangay Buang in Tabaco City Thursday morning.
Phivolcs volcanologist Edgardo Villacorte said the objective of the survey is to re-examine the inflation of the volcano's edifice.
In a survey last June, the Phivolcs recorded a 10-millimeter inflation of the volcano.
Villacorte said the deformation survey will last for two to three days, and will include surveys at the leveling site in Barangay Lidong in the municipality of Santo Domingo.
If significant deformations are observed, the Phivolcs will also evaluate some of the volcano's parameters to include increase in sulfur dioxide emission and volcanic tremor, and then they will raise the alert level from one to two.
For the past 24 hours, they have recorded six low frequency volcanic quakes, said Phivolcs. The crater glow was still imminent.
By Jose Carretero, ABS-CBN Bicol
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