10 ACTIVE VOLCANOES IN THE PHILIPPHINES

MT. MAYON
 Considered to be one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world because of its almost
perfect conical shape, Mt. Mayon is also the most active volcano in the Philippines. It is
located in the province of Albay in the Bicol region. Mayon has erupted at least 47 times in
the last 500 years, the one in 1814 being the most destructive. The eruption buried the town
of Cagsawa, leaving over a thousand people dead. The church tower in most photos of Mt.
Mayon is a reminder of the catastrophic event.
PHIVOLCS permanently monitors Mt. Mayon. Activities have been observed over the years,
including a surprise eruption in 2013. This event killed 5 climbers and left 7 others injured. In
2018, the entire Albay province was placed under a state of calamity as ash, lava, and steam
spewed from Mayon’s crater. In early 2020, a magma glow was observed on the volcano’s
crater.

Taal Volcano
 Known as a volcano island inside a lake in a bigger volcano, Taal is definitely
the most interesting volcano in the Philippines. It is also the deadliest. It is located in
Batangas, just hours from Manila. Taal is a breathtaking attraction viewed from
Tagaytay. Trekking along the volcano was also a popular activity.
Taal has erupted at least 34 times; its latest was in early 2022. The recent eruptions
were destructive, affecting the entire region, Metro Manila, parts of Central Luzon, and even
as far as Pangasinan in Ilocos. The towns have since recovered from the effects of the
eruptions and but a number of people lost their lives because they refused to evacuate.

MT. KANLAON

The third most active volcano in the Philippines is Mt. Kanlaon in Negros Oriental.
It has erupted at least 30 times but most of them have only been mild. It only spewed lava
during its eruption in 1904. There have been activities recorded for Mt. Kanlaon in recent
years including volcanic earthquakes and mild eruptions involving ash columns and loud
booming sounds. None of these eruptions were destructive.
Mt. Kanlaon is the highest point in the Visayas with an elevation of about 8000
feet above sea level. It is an extremely popular destination for mountain climbers and
relaxation seekers. Hot springs around the volcano like Mambucal, Bucalan, and Bungol
are just a three-hour scenic drive from Bacolod City.
MT. PINATUBO
 Mt. Pinatubo is included in the list of active volcanoes in the Philippines. It rises at
about 4,800 feet (1,460 meters) high and is located within the boundaries of Central Luzon
provinces - Zambales, Tarlac, Pampanga. Mt. Pinatubo’s eruption in June 1991 is one of the
devastating volcanic eruptions recorded in Asia and the world that it displaced tens of
thousands of Filipinos and affected the entire island of Luzon. The ash fell as far as the
Indian Ocean after the eruption. Pinatubo remains active until the today.
MT. HIBOK-HIBOK
This young volcano sits on Camiguin Island, a popular tourist destination just off the
coast of Cagayan de Oro. Mt. Hibok-hibok is a small volcano with a base diameter of only
10 kilometers. It has 5 recorded eruptions, the most destructive of which happened
between 1948 and 1953.

Hibok-Hibok Volcano also known as Catarman Volcano, is an active volcano on Camiguin

Island. It rises about 4370 feet or 1332 meters above sea level. The Camiguin Island
province lies in the Bohol Sea and is situated around 10 kilometers off the northern coast of
Mindanao Island. It is home to seven volcanoes, with Hibok-Hibok being one of the
youngest among these peaks.

MT. BANAHAW

Banahaw, also called Banahao and Banájao, is the highest mountain in the Calabarzon
region. This three-peaked volcano sitting on the boundary of Laguna and Quezon provinces
in a protected area known as Mounts Banahaw-San Cristobal Protected Landscape is
considered by many a holy mountain. Pilgrims and mountain climbers often visit this
volcano. Its last recorded eruption was in 1909.

MT. BULUSAN

Mt. Bulusan is Mayon’s southern neighbor and also an active volcano. It is located in
Sorsogon, a coastal province on the southernmost tip of Luzon Island. Although it is the
fourth most active volcano in the Philippines with at least 15 recorded eruptions, these have
only been mild. Locals are used to ash explosions from the volcano which can last for years.
Bulusan’s worst eruption involving lava flows and landslides lasted from 1918 to 1922.
It has a peak elevation of 5,135 feet above sea level and a base diameter of 15
kilometers. This volcano is known for its sudden and steam-driven explosions making it the
fourth most active volcano in the country. Its last eruption was in 2022.

Mt. Ragang
Mt. Ragang is the most active volcano on Mindanao island. It is located in Lanao del Sur in
the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. It is part of a string of volcanoes called the
Central Mindanao Arc. PHIVOLCS recorded at least 8 eruptions, the last being in 1916.
Seismologists from the Smithsonian Institution suspect that eruptions of its neighboring
volcanoes actually emanated from Mt. Ragang.

SMITH VOLCANO OR MT. BABUYAN

Smith Volcano, or Mount Babuyan, is a cinder cone volcano. It has an elevation of 2,257
feet above sea level and a base diameter of 4.5 kilometers. This active volcano is
considered one of the island’s five Pleistocene-to-Holocene volcanic centers and is the
youngest volcano. It is believed that Smith Volcano has erupted six times. Its last eruption
dates back to 1924. 

MT. MUSUAN

Musuan, also known as Calayo, is an

isolated, low grass-covered
andesitic-to-dacitic lava dome
and tuff cone that rises above
flat farmland in the province of
Bukidnon in central Mindanao.
PHIVOLCS at one time listed
eruptions in 1866 and 1867, but had removed those eruptions as of 2020.