According to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), the Taal volcano is experiencing a level four eruption, and is based 60km south of the capital, Manila.
PHIVOLC said in a bulletin issued at 4pm local time: “Taal Volcano Main Crater has escalated its eruptive activity, generating an eruption plume one kilometer-high accompanied by volcanic tremor and felt earthquakes in Volcano Island and barangays of Agoncillo, Batangas. Ashfall is currently being showered on the southwest sector of Taal.
“This, however, will be subject to terminal capacity of the 4 NAIA Terminals and airline consent. Under the situation, separation time between flights will be longer, in order to give MIAA and CAAP better capability to manage terminal and runway capacities.”
The airport added that priority will be given to departure flights, “so that the NAIA ramps may be cleared of planes parked there since last night.”
Second priority will be given to regular scheduled flights.
MIAA and CAAP both urged airline operators to give their passengers as much information available. Airlines were also strictly advised to submit realistic departure schedules owing to the need to inform passengers, assign flight crew and aircraft dispatch.
Images of Taal Volcano have spread across social media, showing red hot lava gushing out with volcanic lighting and cloud ash across the sky.
The eruption led to a mass evacuation, with more than 13,000 moved to evacuation centres in Batangas and Cavite.
Local authorities have warned of a potential “hazardous eruption” within “hours or days”.
Mayor Wilson Maralit of Balete town told DZMM radio: “We have a problem, our people are panicking due to the volcano because they want to save their livelihood, their pigs and herds of cows.
“We’re trying to stop them from returning and warning that the volcano can explode again anytime and hit them.”
There have been no reports of casualties or major injuries since the volcano’s eruption began on Sunday.
The Philippines is situated on the seismic hotspot known as the Ring of Fire which encircles the Pacific Ocean.
Taal Volcano’s seismic network has manifested moderate to high level of seismic activity since March 28 last year.
It is estimated that over 200,000 British nationals visited the Philippines in 2018.
