Photo courtesy of Philippine News Agency (PNA).
Mayon Volcano was placed under Alert Level 2 on Thursday as monitoring showed signs of heightened volcanic unrest, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.
The alert level indicates a moderate state of activity that may lead to an eruption if conditions continue to escalate.
Volcanologists said changes in the volcano’s behavior have been building up over recent months, pointing to increased internal activity.
Monitoring instruments detected frequent rockfall incidents along the upper slopes of the volcano toward the end of 2025.
Data showed hundreds of rockfall events during the period, with activity peaking in late December.
Phivolcs said similar surface activity had been observed before previous eruptive episodes, including in recent years.
Ground measurements also revealed continued swelling of the volcanic edifice, suggesting rising pressure beneath the surface.
The agency advised residents to stay out of the six-kilometer permanent danger zone and recommended that aircraft avoid flying near the volcano.