Active volcanoes in the Philippines, as categorized by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), include volcanoes in the

country having erupted within historical times

(within the last 600 years), with accounts of these eruptions documented by man; or having erupted within the last 10,000 years (holocene) based on analyses of datable materials. However,
there is no consensus among volcanologists on how to define an "active" volcano. As of 2012, PHIVOLCS lists 23 volcanoes as active in the Philippines, 21 of which have historical eruptions and
two strongly fumarolic volcanoes - Cabalian and Leonard Kniaseff.[1][not in citation given]; the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program categories 20 Philippine volcanoes as "historical" and
59 as "holocene".[2]
The Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program (GVP) list volcanoes with historical, Holocene eruptions, or possibly older if strong signs of volcanism are still evident through thermal
features like fumaroles, hot springs, mud pots, etc.[3] GVP currently lists 50 Philippines volcanoes.[2] The eruptions from the table below were based more on GVP which gives a more detailed
eruption history for a particular mountain. The frequency of Historical Eruptions are based on definite historical eruptions and excludes questionable or Uncertain accounts based on the two
sources mentioned.
The list below shows 25 active volcanoes in the Philippines was based more on the PHIVOLCS list with some included from the GVP list. The number is not a definite number and could depend on
someone's definition of "active" or historical timeframe. Also, volcanoes listed as inactive or potentially active could renew activity after long periods of dormancy such as Mount Pinatubo in
1991.
Active volcanoes in the Philippines[edit]

Volcano

Ambalatungan
Group

Babuyan Claro

Banahaw

Biliran

Bulusan

Coordinates

17.310982N
121.103668E

9.523N
121.940E

14.07N
121.48E

11.558N
124.513E

12.770N

Elevation (m)

2,329 metres
(7,641 ft)

1,080 metres
(3,540 ft)

2,158 metres
(7,080 ft)

1,301 metres
(4,268 ft)

1,565 metres

Province/s

Historical
Eruptions

Eruption Description and Current Status

Explosions in 1952 is uncertain.[4] Fumarolic with solfataras and thermal

Kalinga

Cagayan

Quezon

Biliran

Phreatic eruption in 1939. Fumarolic with thermal springs

Sorsogon

17

Eruptions years are from 1886 to 2011. Permanently monitored

springs.

Eruptions were recorded in 1831, 1860 and 1913. Askedna Hot Springs
is located in the southern base of the volcano.

Eruptions were uncertain during the mudflows of 1730, 1743, 1843 and
1909.[5]

Volcano

Coordinates

124.05E

Cagua

Camiguin de
Babuyanes

Didicas

Hibok-Hibok

Iraya

Iriga

Jolo Group

18.222N
122.123E

18.83N
121.860E

19.077N
122.202E

9.203N
124.673E

20.469N
122.010E

13.457N
123.457E

6.013N

Elevation (m)

Province/s

Historical
Eruptions

Eruption Description and Current Status

(5,135 ft)

1,133 metres
(3,717 ft)

712 metres
(2,336 ft)

244 metres
(801 ft)

1,552 metres
(5,092 ft)

1,009 metres
(3,310 ft)

1,196 metres
(3,924 ft)

811 metres

Eruption in 1860 and strong solfataric activity in 1907. Thermal areas

Cagayan

Cagayan

Cagayan

Camiguin

Batanes

Last eruption was in 1454. Seismic swarm in 1998.

Camarines Sur

The eruption in 1628 was discredited.[7]

Sulu

are located near the summit and NW to NNE flanks.

Its only recorded eruption was in 1857. Fumarolic with thermal springs

Eruptions in 1773, 1856, 1900, 1952, 1969 and 1978. A submarine

volcano till 1952 when a permanent island was formed.[6]

Eruption in years 1827, 1862, 1871 and 19481952. Activity from

1897-1902 was only solfataric. Permanently monitored.

Uncertain submarine eruption in 1897. Listed as Bud Dajo, a cinder

Volcano

Coordinates

121.057E

Kanlaon

Leonard Kniaseff

Makaturing

Matutum

Mayon

Musuan

Parker

10.412N
123.132E

7.382N
126.047E

7.647N
124.32E

6.37N 125.07E

13.257N
123.685E

7.877N
125.068E

6.113N

Elevation (m)

Province/s

Historical
Eruptions

(2,661 ft)

cone onJolo Island, in the PHIVOLCS list.

2,435 metres

Negros Occidental,Negros

(7,989 ft)

Oriental

1,190 metres
(3,900 ft)

1,940 metres
(6,360 ft)

2,286 metres
(7,500 ft)

2,462 metres
(8,077 ft)

646 metres
(2,119 ft)

1,824 metres

Eruption Description and Current Status

26

Eruptions were recorded from 1886 to 2006. Permanently monitored.

Compostela Valley

Last eruption was dated as c.120 AD.[8] Strong thermal features.

Lanao del Sur

South Cotabato

Albay

50

Bukidnon

Eruptions in 1866 & 1867. Strong seismic swarm in 1976.

South Cotabato

A caldera-forming eruption occurred on January 4, 1641.

Eruption recorded in 1865 and 1882. The 1856 and 1858 eruptions was
credited to Ragang[9][10]

Mountain was fumarolic on March 7, 1911, but if an eruption occurred

was uncertain. Thermal springs in Akmoan and Linan.[11][12]

Eruptions were recorded from 1616 to 2013. Permanently monitored.

Volcanic activity is identified up to present. Alert Level 2 was raised.

Volcano

Coordinates

124.892E

Pinatubo

15.13N
120.35E

Ragang

7.70N 124.50E

San Pablo

14.12N

Volcanic Field

Smith

Taal

Unnamed volcano
(Ibugos)

121.30E

19.534N
121.917E

14.002N
120.993E

20.33N
121.75E

Elevation (m)

Province/s

Historical
Eruptions

Eruption Description and Current Status

(5,984 ft)

1,486 metres
(4,875 ft)

2,815 metres
(9,236 ft)

1,090 metres
(3,580 ft)

688 metres
(2,257 ft)

400 metres
(1,300 ft)

24 metres
(79 ft)

Zambales, Tarlac,Pampanga

Lanao del Sur,Cotabato

Laguna, Batangas

Cagayan

Batangas

33

Batanes

Reawakened in 1991 producing the 2nd largest eruption in the 20th

century. Followed by milder eruptions in 1992 and 1993.

Eruption years are from 1765 to 1873. Eruptions were uncertain in

1915 and 1916.

Last activity was the formation of Sampaloc Lake around 1350 AD +/100 years determined by anthropology[3][13]

Eruption years are from 1652 to 1924. Combined with Babuyan Claro on
the GVP list.

Eruption years is from 1572 to 1977. Showing signs of unrest since

1991 and permanently monitored.

Submarine eruptions in 1773, 1850 and 1854.

There are 53 active volcanoes in the Philippines. The Philippines belong to the Pacific Ring of Fire where the oceanic Philippine plate and several smaller micro-plates are subducting along the Philippine Trench to the E, and
the Luzon, Sulu and several other small Trenches to the W.
Tectonic setting of the Philippines
the tectonic setting of the Philippines is complex. It is characterized by a number of small plates squeezed between 2 convergent plate margins, separated by small subduction zones and major transform faults. The

currently active volcanoes in the Philippines are found on several corresponding volcanic arcs, which can be simplified into two major N-S trending arcs, the Luzon and Mindanao Volcanic Arcs.
The volcanoes of the Philippines are produced at the junction of the Philippines tectonic plate and the Eurasian plate.
The volcanoes of the Philippines rank as the most deadly and costly in the world: about 13% of its historic eruptions have caused fatalities, most notably at Taal and Mayon, and 22% of its eruptions caused significant
damage.
Lahars (mud flows) are very common in the Philippines, because the archipelago has often heavy rains.
Tsunamis accompany eruptions in the Philippines more often than in any other volcanic region.
Since the establishment of PHILVOLCS (the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology), the impact and damage of the eruptions has been significantly reduced.
Mayon,
The most famous of the active volcanoes of the Philippines, is a perfect stratovolcano rising to 2462 m on Luzon Island. It erupts very frequently.
Background:
Mayon is the archetype of a symmetrical stratovolcano and one of the world most active ones. It has frequent eruptions producing pyroclastic flows, mud flows and ash falls that repeatedly triggered large-scale
evacuations. Mayon's most violent eruption, in 1814, killed more than 1200 people and devastated several towns.
the volcano rises 2462 m above the Albay Gulf and has very steep upper slopes averaging 35-40 degrees capped by a small summit crater.
Historical records of eruptions date back to 1616 and range from strombolian to basaltic plinian, with cyclical activity beginning with basaltic eruptions, followed by longer term andesitic lava flows. Eruptions occur
predominately from the central conduit and have also produced lava flows that travel far down the flanks. Pyroclastic flows and mudflows have commonly swept down many of the approximately 40 ravines that radiate
from the summit and have often devastated populated lowland areas.
Last update: 24 Oct 2014
Typical eruption style: Explosive.
Mayon volcano eruptions: 1616, 1766, 1800, 1811(?), 1814, 1827, 1834, 1839, 1845, 1846, 1851, 1853, 1855, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861, 1862, 1863(?), 1868, 1871-72, 1872, 1873, 1876, 1876, 1881-82, 1885, 1886-87,
1888, 1890, 1891-92, 1893, 1895, 1896, 1897, 1900, 1902(?), 1928, 1928, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1947, 1968, 1978, 1984, 1993, 1999-2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2003(?), 2004, 2006, 2009, 2013
Taal volcano with its lake-filled 15x20 km wide Talisay (Taal) caldera is a beautiful caldera volcano, but also one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes of the Philippines. Taal has had some of the country's largest
and deadliest eruptions: At least 6 eruptions during the recorded history of Taal since 1572 claimed fatalities, mostly from powerful pyroclastic flows, as well as tsunamis produced in the crater lake.
Background:
The Taal caldera is largely filled by Lake Taal, whose 267 sq km surface lies only 3 m above sea level. The maximum depth of the lake is 160 m, and contains several eruptive centers submerged beneath the lake. All historic
eruptions took place from the 5-km-wide volcanic island in the northern-central part of the lake.
The island is formed by overlapping stratovolcanoes, cinder cones and tuff rings (maars). Historic eruptions have seen the constant change and growth of the island.
Taal caused one of the worst volcano disasters in history: its eruption in 1911 killed 1334 people and caused ash fall as far as Manila city. Due to its devastating potential, Taal was declared one of the "Decade Volcanoes" in
the Decade Volcanoes program of the 1990s in order to incentive study and monitoring of the volcano. Taal is today one of the most closely monitored volcanoes in the region. An increase in seismic activity under Taal was
recorded in November 2006, followed by an increase in hot water springs in the crater in April 2007.
Pinatubo volcano exploded spectacularly on 15 June 1991. The Pinatubo eruption on 15 June 1991 was the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.
Pinatubo is a complex of lava domes located 100 km NW of Manila city, Luzon Island, Philippines.
Prior to the eruption, Pinatubo was a little known volcano and it had been dormant for 400 years. There were no known historic eruptions. Before the eruption in 1991 Pinatubo was 1745 m high (ca. 250 m more than
now), and was only 200 m higher than the nearby peaks, which are remnants of older volcanic edifices of Mt Pinatubo and hid it from views from distance. Pinatubo mostly noted for a failed geothermal development
project.
Eruptions of Mount Pinatubo
Pinatubo has had at least 6 periods of activity with large explosive eruptions in its past 35,000 years prior to the 1991 eruption. The 1991 eruption in this context actually ranks as one of the smaller eruptions. An eruption,
which occurred 35,000 years ago and probably created the caldera, was likely much bigger.
Background:
Geology of Mt Pinatubo volcano
Regional setting:
Pinatubo is flanked to the west and probably underlain by by the Zambales Ophiolite Complex, an easterly-dipping section of Eocene oceanic crust which was uplifted in the late Oligocene.
The second unit are sediments of the Tarlac Formation, mostly sandstone and siltstone in the older parts, and conglomerates and volcanic sediments and dikes in the younger. The Tarlac formation is found in the north,
east and southeast of Pinatubo and formed contemporary with the oldest known volcanic centers in the area, including Mount Mataba or the diorite of the Dizon Mine, the sub-surface remnant of an ancient vent.
The ancient volcanoes of the Tarlac Formation originated from the same east-dipping subduction along the Manila trench that continues to the present.
Ancient Pinatubo:
Pinatubo was formed in 2 stages. The ancestral Pinatubo started to form about 1 million years ago, and built an andesite - dacite stratovolcano whose center was at the same location as today. Remnants of this precessor

are seen in the ancient 3.5x4.5 wide caldera. Ancient Pinatubo had a number of flank vents, that formed the domes of Mount Negron, Mount Cuadrado, Mataba, Bituin plug, and the volcanic plug of Tapungho.
Deep erosion in the Sacobia, Porac, Marimla, and Porac River valleys, and weathering of the lavas suggests that activity of the ancestral volcano ended several tens of thousands of years (or more) before the calderaforming eruption and initial growth of the modern Pinatubo (ca. 35,000 years ago).
Modern Pinataubo:
After the 1991 eruption, scientists (mainly from PHILVOLCS & USGS) carried out intensive fieldwork on the deposits of present-day Pinatubo to analyze its eruptive history. They distinguished at least 6 eruptive
periods of modern Pinatubo, characterized by repeated, large explosive eruptions:
Inararo Eruptive Period -- >35,000 14C yr B.P.
The largest eruption in the history of modern Pinatubo occurred 35,000 (radiocarbon) years ago. It deposited up to 100 m or more of pumice and ash flows on all sides of Mount Pinatubo.
Sacobia Eruptive Period -- ~17,000 yr B.P.
A phase of explosive eruptions occurred 17,000 years ago and produced 2 debris flow deposits which are visible on the north bank of the Sacobia River.
Pasbul Eruptive Period -- ~9,000 yr B.P.
A large explosive eruption occurred ca. 9000 years ago. It produced pyroclastic-flow and tephra-fall layers exposed along the road between Sitio Pasbul, Camias, Porac, and the Gumain River. The pyroclastic flows
overtopped the southeastern rim of the Tayawan caldera and nearly or completely filled the valley of the Gumain River.
Crow Valley Eruptive Period -- ~6,000-5,000 yr B.P.
Large eruptions 6,000-5,000 years ago produced pyroclastic flow deposits on both sides of upper Crow valley.
Maraunot Eruptive Period -- ~3,900(?)-2,300 yr B.P.
Eruptions in this period produced pyroclastic flows and lahars.
Buag Eruptive Period -- ca. 1450 AD
The last activity cycle prior to the 1991 eruption was in 1450 50 AD. It produced pyroclastic flows that entered all valley of Pinatubo except the Gumain and Porac rivers.
------------Sources of information
The most comprehensive information about Pinatubo volcano is collected in 62 scientific papers in the following volume:
- Newhall et al (1996) "Eruptive history of Mount Pinatubo", in NEWHALL, C.G. and PUNONGBAYAN, R.G. (eds.) (1996) "FIRE AND MUD: ERUPTIONS AND LAHARS OF MOUNT PINATUBO, PHILIPPINES", Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOLCS) / USGS / University of Washington Press (online atpubs.usgs.gov/pinatubo/index.html)
- GVP Pinatubo volcano information
- Mount Pinatubo, Philippines USGS / CVO website about Pinatubo
-------------

Pinatubo Aeta people

The forested area of Pinatubo mountain was also known as home for a tribe of the Aeta people,- the small, dark skinned, and kinky haired people believed to be the nearest descendants of the original inhabitants of the
Philippines, who arrived through land bridges that linked the Philippines with the Asian mainland some 30,000 years ago. They considered the mountain the home of Apo Namalyari, the Great Protector and Provider.
(Source: CCP Encyclopedia of Arts)
2009 earthquake & lahars
On 31 October 2009 a magnitude 5.0 tectonic earthquake with a depth of 79 km hit 37 km WSW of the summit of Pinatubo volcano.
Heavy monsoon rains caused by typhoon Kiko generated heavy floods in August 2009. 12 people were killed in the town of Botolan in August 2009.
2001-2004: caldera lake changes
During 2001 the caldera lake on Mt Pinatubo rose to dangerous levels and the water changed color in January 2004.
1991 Plinian eruption of Pinatubo - the 2nd largest in the 20th century
The June 15, 1991 eruption was probably the second largest explosive eruption of the 20th century, second in size only to the Katmai 1912 eruption in Alaska. It was about ten times larger than the eruption of Mount St.
Helens in 1980.