Seems like nature is opening another front in its unremitting war against the Philippines.
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I’ve been following this. Shit’s crazy. I wonder when it’ll blow for real and what’ll happen after.
It’s been a crazy last year they don’t catch a break. Imagine if a mountain in Pinglin or Shimen started erupting… similar deal in Manila I believe . I have friends there ash fell in the city a few days ago.
Volcanic ash makes for very fertile soil. This attracts a lot of people, who need to cultivate soil to eat and find fertile soil easier to cultivate and also easier to feed more people. But also eventually the volcano comes back.
I think there is a book or two talking about the relationship between a country’s development and natural disasters.
Evacuating Manila won’t be an easy task. Heck, living months on end under ash will take a deadly toll.
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I remember hearing about the last big eruption from people, it sounded pretty horrible.
That volcano is a 2-hour drive away from Manila. It’s a volcano within a volcano within a volcano, last eruption was back in 1977, but has always been active.
So far, no major casualties, only the disruption of flights and cancellation of classes and government work. Private companies are also encouraged to close off work when ashfall turns heavy.
We’re hoping the imminent eruption doesn’t cause too much damage. Filipinos have a way of coming together when shit hits. We’re very resilient. We’ll get through this. 
So far, what’s badly needed are supplies of face masks, especially N95s for relief workers and people in Batangas and Cavite.
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Speaking of face masks, do you guys know where I can potentially buy N95s as wholesale? Even face masks? I’m thinking of donating them to my fellow Pinoys back home.
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how would anyone tell the difference?
Last I heard, it’s calmed down a bit and flights are resuming. Hopefully it’ll … uh, blow over fairly quickly.
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Makes great wedding photos though
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What do you mean? In the Philippines, if the Palace says government work is cancelled on the basis of natural calamities, agencies related to disaster coordination, social welfare, even health and environmental departments still do work. Sometimes the govt will be specific about that, but I think most department secretaries continue to work. Duterte will fire them if they are, as most Pinoys would say, “papatay patay” (lazy).
I feel sorry for my friends And all Filipinos impacted by this eruption . I hope it does not explode violently.
At the same time I desperately want to see a live volcanic eruption, I’ve wanted to see that since I was a little kid.
It was a joke. I have seen many Philippine Government offices in “working” mode. Nevermind 
I must say, the photos are impressive. Nature unchained often is. Up close, it’s pretty horrible. A lot of dead/injured animals and destruction.
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You can go to the old country. We have 3 active volcanoes right now, far away from settlements but still close enough for cool pics.
We have enough room to move cattle around in case of eruptions and the volcanoes are high enough not many animals nor people live there. Of course, they haven’t gone full kaboom as in Filipinas, or else it would be the same story.
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Yeah but where is the old country. 
It’s okay I don’t expect an answer to that. 
They had a couple of weeks warning of the Taal eruption. But it’s the Philippines, so predictably enough it was the standard pissup-in-a-brewery scenario. In particular, a lot of livestock were simply abandoned to their fate. A few kind souls tried to rescue some, using their own time and equipment, but their owners and the government apparently didn’t give a toss.
Follow the Ring of Fire!
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That’s true. Nicaraguan coffee is famous for this reason. Maybe Philippines can invest in the coffee industry in their country.
I passed there several times on my way diving and never realized there’s a volcano.
They actually do grow coffee (barako coffee) in the surrounding area. I don’t think there’s that much demand for it both locally and overseas, however.
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