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NEWS > EVERYONE ELSE > PHILIPPINE VOLCANO STILL A DANGER, TO FILIPINOS
PHILIPPINE VOLCANO STILL A DANGER, TO FILIPINOS
December 17 2009
Manila, The Philippines – Volcanoes are undoubtedly one of the most impressive of nature’s creations. The eruption of volcanoes, like the Earth spilling its heart onto the surface, causes massive devastation and providing the Earth with some of the most 
essential building blocks of life. For those who live in and around volcanoes the sight of an eruption is something a little less than impressive, the rumbling of the massive mountains like a hungry beast ready to consume anything in its sight. For those people an eruption is akin to the world coming to an end, their lives in peril, and their homes at risk.
Such is the case for fifty thousand people living at the foot of Mount Mayon, a 2500 metre volcano in the picturesque countryside of the Philippines. Earlier this week officials raised concerns that the volcano may be on the verge of erupting due in large part to increased lava flow and an increase in sulphur dioxide emissions. Volcanologists believe that an eruption may be imminent and could cause devastation to the region within the next few weeks, threatening the lives of the thousands who live in the region, who it’s believed are mostly Filipino.
“I had noticed the formation of two lava domes at the crater during an aerial survey on Wednesday. This indicates pressure is building up from the inside, and the rising 
magma had accumulated at the mouth. We have not yet seen intensified lava fountainings, or big earthquakes which are often the signs that there could be a sudden massive explosion,” said volcanologist July Sabit to the AFP. “That is why we recommended that people living in and around the volcano’s foot be evacuated. There are limits to how accurately we can predict when a volcano will erupt and how violent the explosion will be so, as a precaution, it is best that the Filipino people in the area move out until the threat subsides or the area becomes habitable again. We want to make sure that no Filipino’s are in the path of the volcano.”
About thirty of the fifty thousand Filipinos living in the area have been relocated and may have to spend months in temporary shelters, an upgrade for many living in the impoverished area of the country.
“Whenever an event like this occurs the obvious thought is why do these people live there? Fault lines, flood prone rivers, tornado and hurricane alleys, these are all places where rational people simply wouldn’t live if they had the option, but unfortunately many people don’t have the option, as is the case here,” said Scrape TV International analyst Gustav Hander. “The people in this area are impoverished and so have limited options, not because or in spite of the fact that they are Filipino, it just happens to be that way. They live in the Philippines, they ancestors did, they are Filipino and they happen to be poor but the two things aren’t really related.”
Despite the desperate conditions and the fear the volcano is presenting many are still thankful for living in the Philippines. A number of evacuated residents noted that at least they didn’t live in Buffalo.
“I think if I had the option of living at the foot of an active volcano or living in Buffalo I would choose the former as well. Yes, every generation or so there is an eruption which destroys your house and all your belongings but it only happens every now and then. People who live in Buffalo live there every single day,” continued Hander. “I mean there’s winter, that’s bad, but winter happens in a lot of places. Buffalo is just, well it’s Buffalo. Who would want to live there if you had the choice?”
Many Filipinos believed it is unfair that Buffalo will not be affected by the eruption of Mount Mayon.
Emil Uliya, International Correspondent
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