Bulusan Volcano Observatory

The old Bulusan Volcano Observatory (BVO) was established by the Commission on Volcanology (COMVOL) in 1980 in Brgy. San Benon, Irosin, Sorsogon Province on a site donated by the Mateo family.

Bulusan Volcano Observatory (BVO), Cabid-an, Sorsogon City

The San Benon station having limited visibility of and being too close to Bulusan Volcano, PHIVOLCS built another building and transferred BVO to Brgy. Cabid-an, Sorsogon City in a parcel of land within the Sorsogon Dairy Farm Research Outreach Station donated by the Department of Agriculture in 2004.

At present, BVO operates solar-powered autonomous stations operating the latest state-of-the-art systems in volcano monitoring: broadband seismic (9), continuous GPS (6), electronic tilt (2), physico-chemical, IP camera and digital WiFi, LTE or VSat systems. All monitoring data are acquired by BVO and transmitted to PHIVOLCS Main Office in Quezon City in real-time via internet or satellite communications. BVO also serves as the regional office and resource center for the delivery of PHIVOLCS information services to various stakeholders and communities in Sorsogon Province.

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Hibok-Hibok Volcano Observatory

Prior to the eruption of Hibok-Hibok Volcano in September 1948, no seismic instrument existed to monitor the volcano. In February 1951, a low magnification Vincentti seismograph was installed at Mambajao, Camiguin, which was later replaced by a 2-component Loucks-Omori seismograph. The seismic station was turned over to the Commission on Volcanology (COMVOL) after its creation in June 1952 in the heels of the 1951 Pelean eruption of Hibok-Hibok. In 1967, another station half a kilometer away was established by COMVOL but was decommissioned when Hibok-Hibok Volcano Observatory (HVO) began operating.

HVO was constructed in 1975 in Brgy. Quiboro, Mambajao, Camiguin Province on the northeast slope of the volcano. Monitoring instruments in the observatory then consisted of short period seismographs, a water tube tiltmeter, rain gauges and short wave radio transceiver. HVO’s newest building on the same site was built by PHIVOLCS in 2011.

At present, HVO operates solar-powered autonomous stations operating the latest state-of-the-art systems in volcano monitoring: broadband and short period seismic (5), IP camera and digital WiFi or VSat systems. All monitoring data are acquired by HVO and transmitted to PHIVOLCS Main Office in Quezon City in real-time via internet or satellite communications. HVO also serves as the regional office and resource center for the delivery of PHIVOLCS information services to various stakeholders and communities in Camiguin Province.3

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Kanlaon Volcano Observatory

Kanlaon Volcano was first monitored by the Commission on Volcanology (COMVOL) in the mid-1960s using temporary volcano stations on the property of then Mayor Bautista in Canlaon City. After three years, the volcano station was transferred to Valencia, Dumaguete City until the 1969 eruption. The Valencia station was moved back to Canlaon City for closer monitoring of the eruption and in 1982, a permanent volcano observatory was constructed by PHIVOLCS in Brgy. Pula, Canlaon City, Negros Oriental. PHIVOLCS later constructed second observatory in the premises of the La Carlota City College, Cubay Campus, Negros Occidental in 2003.

At present, KVO operates solar-powered autonomous stations operating the latest state-of-the-art systems in volcano monitoring: broadband and short-period seismic (9), continuous GPS (6), electronic tilt (2), IP camera and digital WiFi or VSat systems. All monitoring data are acquired by KVO and transmitted to PHIVOLCS Main Office in Quezon City in real-time via internet or satellite communications. KVO also serves as the regional office and resource center for the delivery of PHIVOLCS information services to various stakeholders and communities in the Negros Provinces.

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Mayon Volcano Observatory

Legaspi Volcano Station, the first volcano monitoring station on Mayon Volcano, was established by the Commission on Volcanology (COMVOL) in 1955 and housed at the Civil Aeronautics Building near the Legaspi City airport. This was succeeded by a second volcano station established in 1966 in Brgy. Sta. Misericordia, Sto. Domingo, Albay Province. It was first equipped with a 3-component Akashi seismograph and a short wave radio transceiver and later, with an E-W component of a high magnification Hosaka seismograph. This station was transferred to Aquinas University in 1973 upon the request of the University Administration. After almost two years, the station was transferred to the Sta. Misericordia Health Center then moved to the newly constructed COMVOL Sta. Misericordia station on 16 October 1976. The Sta. Misericordia station was located on the northeast basal slope of the volcano near the Health Center.

COMVOL constructed the Mayon Resthouse Observatory (MRHO) in 1969 near the Provincial Resthouse on the north-northwest slope of the volcano, 760 m above sea level. The MRHO was equipped with a 3-component Hosaka seismograph that had been gathering more reliable monitoring data compared to the earlier stations, a watertube tiltmeter and a short wave radio transceiver. In late 1971, the Legaspi Volcano station was de-commissioned.

A third observatory on the flank of Ligñon Hill, a prehistoric cinder cone on the southeast footslope of Mayon, was constructed in 1989. Now called MVO, the observatory currently monitors not only Mayon but also seismic activity in Iriga or Asog and Isarog Volcanoes in Camarines Sur.

At present, MVO operates solar-powered autonomous stations operating the latest state-of-the-art systems in volcano monitoring: broadband seismic (8), continuous GPS (14), electronic tilt (5), continuous SO2, hydrologic, physico-chemical, IP camera and digital WiFi, LTE or VSat systems. All monitoring data are acquired by MVO and transmitted to PHIVOLCS Main Office in Quezon City in real-time via internet or satellite communications. MVO also serves as the regional office and resource center for the delivery of PHIVOLCS information services to various stakeholders and communities in Albay and the Camarines Provinces.

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Pinatubo Volcano Observatory

Sudden phreatic explosions from the Mt. Pinatubo summit on 02 April 1991 that heralded its Plinian eruption in June compelled PHIVOLCS to set up a temporary monitoring station on Sitio Yamut, Botolan, Zambales on 05 April 1991. In May, the Yamut station was transferred to Burgos then to Poonbato within Botolan. The temporary station was responsible for issuing daily updates and hazard warnings on the volcano’s growing unrest. As this continued to increase, PHIVOLCS, together with the US Geological Survey, deemed it necessary to establish the Pinatubo Volcano Observatory (PVO) inside the Clark Airbase, Pampanga. The very first state-of-the-art seismic telemetry and ground deformation networks in the country were set up on Pinatubo, linked to computers in PVO for rapid location of escalating earthquake activity. Much of the original monitoring network was destroyed by the 1991 eruption, and post-1991 networks that included acoustic flow monitoring of lahar channels were subsequently damaged or lost in the volcano’s harsh and changing terrain in the next ten years.

In 2010, PHIVOLCS constructed the PVO-Magalang Station inside the campus of the Pampanga Agricultural State University, and slowly re-established its monitoring network on the volcano. The original PVO inside Clark Airbase was finally relinquished to the Philippine Air Force Command in 2018, and all its functions were transferred to the Magalang Station.

At present, PVO operates solar-powered autonomous stations operating the latest state-of-the-art systems in volcano monitoring: broadband and short period seismic (4), physico-chemical, IP camera and digital WiFi or VSat systems. All monitoring data are acquired by PVO and transmitted to PHIVOLCS Main Office in Quezon City in real-time via internet or satellite communications. PVO also serves as the regional office and resource center for the delivery of PHIVOLCS information services to various stakeholders and communities in Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales Provinces.

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Taal Volcano Observatory

Scientific monitoring of Taal Volcano began in December 1952. The first volcanological station at was established by the Commission on Volcanology (COMVOL) in Brgy. Alas-as on the western shore of Volcano Island. It was initially equipped with a three component, low sensitivity Akashi seismograph, a water tube tiltmeter, thermometers and short-wave radio transmitters.

The Alas-as station and all its monitoring equipment was destroyed on 28 September 1965 at the onset of phreatomagmatic phase of the Mt. Tabaro eruption. In 1966, the Pira-piraso station was established on the northern shore of Volcano Island and equipped with a 3-component Akashi seismograph, a 1-component Whitmore seismograph and a watertube tiltmeter. Later, a 3-component Hosaka seismograph replaced the Whitmore seismograph; a short-period Inshimoto seismograph replaced the Akashi seismograph in 1968; and in 1970, a 3-component Hosaka seismograph and a Sony tape with Watanabe recorder replaced both the Akashi and Inshimoto seismographs. Buco Observatory, located at the northern shore of Taal Lake, Buco, Talisay was constructed in 1969-1970 under the supervision of the Department of Public Works. It was subsequently turned over to COMVOL after completion and later equipped with a 3-component strong motion Inshimoto seismograph, a 3-component Hosaka seismograph and a short wave radio transceiver, a motorized banca and a speedboat. Now called TVO, the observatory was reconstructed in 2016 after severe impact damages were sustained from a blown-down century-old acacia tree during the passage of Typhoon Glenda in 2015.

At present, together with international partners, TVO operates solar-powered autonomous stations operating the latest state-of-the-art systems in volcano monitoring: borehole and post-hole broadband and short-period seismic (13), continuous GPS (8), electronic tilt (1), continuous dissolved CO2, continuous multi-gas, physico-chemical, acoustic IP camera and digital WiFi, LTE or VSat systems. All monitoring data are acquired by TVO and transmitted to PHIVOLCS Main Office in Quezon City in real-time via internet or satellite communications. TVO also serves as the regional office and resource center for the delivery of PHIVOLCS information services to various stakeholders and communities in the CALABARZON Region.

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