TAAL volcano is now clear of the smog caused by its emission of sulfur dioxide, which blanketed surrounding areas, forcing the suspension of work and classes on Friday, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).
“In Taal, it’s clear now unlike the low visibility yesterday. So now, the Taal volcano is visible from Batangas, so basically, there is no vog already,” Phivolcs Director Teresito “Toto” Bacolcol said in an interview with The Manila Times on Saturday.
The Calabarzon Region (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), especially near the Taal Lake area, has been covered by thick vog caused by the continuous emission of sulfur dioxide by Taal since early September.
Phivolcs said it measured a total of 4, 569 tons of volcanic sulfur dioxide per day as of Thursday, September 21 As of 5:30 a.m. on Saturday, however, the agency reported that the gas emission from the volcano decreased to 2, 730 tons per day.
Meanwhile, the same Phivolcs official also declared that the haziness in the air being experienced by Metro Manila residents as that coming from smog and not vog. (Amado Inigo/MNM)