Mount Mayon, an active volcano 500 kilometers south of Manila, continues to discharge lava on Jan. 18. (Photo by Jun Santiago)
As residents around Mount Mayon, an active volcano expected to erupt within days, flee their homes, tourists are flocking to the area to watch the mountain's spectacular lava discharge.
Most visitors are domestic tourists, said Dorothy Colle, head of the tourism office in Albay province, about 500 kilometers south of Manila.
"If the weather improves, we expect more tourists to come to witness the volcanic activity," she said.
"It's a spectacle to watch. It's beauty and fury in one, especially at night," said Danny Garcia, also of the tourism office.
Seismologist said the lava shooting from the crater of the country's most active volcano is a sign a major eruption could take place in days.
Local authorities in Albay have already placed the entire province on an emergency footing.
Legazpi Diocese has appealed to Catholics to open their doors for displaced residents and provide them temporary shelter.
Father Rex Paul Arjona of the diocese's social action office said the church has launched a volunteer shelter program that aims to ease crowding in evacuation camps.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said more residents have been evacuated to safer areas.
There at present about 34,000 people who have sought temporary shelter in 30 evacuation centers.
"We want to be sure of their safety because of intermittent rain showers," said Romina Marasigan, an agency spokeswoman.