MT. MAYON- MAJESTIC YET DEADLY

One of the amazing sceneries you will find in the Philippines is Mayon Volcano. It is located in the province of Albay, in the Bicol Region. Mayon Volcano is known for its perfect symmetrical triangular shape. With its summit that measures 2,421 meters above sea level and its circular base with a radius of about 48 kilometers, Mt. Mayon stands with its majestic grace. In fact, Mt. Mayon has been known as one of the wonders of the world. Its very name means “Magayon”. Magayon is a dialect of the bicolanos which means “beautiful”. Beautiful as it may but dangerous. Mt. Mayon is the most deadly of the volcano types. This is the reason why Mt. Mayon had been tagged as an active stratovolcanoe. Mt. Mayon is the most active volcano in the Philipines. With pyroclastic and lava flowing from its perfect cone, it recorded an eruption of over 47 times for the past 400 years.

I came from a family who originates in this province. Hence, I had the chance to marvel at its beauty. I recalled visiting the site of the buried church. The church was buried during the eruption of Mayon Volcano way back February 1, 1814. My auntie told me that there were people in the church buried alive by the steaming lava coming from Mt. Mayon. Lava covered the whole town of Cagsawa and the bell tower of the towns church was the only thing that remained in the surface. During younger years, I was amazed by that story. However, as I grew older, it is already horrific for me to even think about it.

Just recently, while navigating yahoo site, I read that Philvocs is closely monitoring Mayon Volcano. There had been reports that scientists detected an alarming symptom that may lead to a more hazardous eruption. You may check this link for further information. It is alarming every time I read about possibilities like this one. Knowing how bicolanos suffer every time there were explosion, news like this really caught my attention. I feel relieved that my brother is already living here in Manila with us. I am just hoping that there will be no more eruptions and no more tragic situations for our brothers in the Bicol region- in particular, to the neighboring municipalities around the majestic but dangerous Mayon Volcano