LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Close to 7,000 residents—or 1,675 families—living around the slopes of Mayon Volcano are being readied for evacuation once the volcano's alert status is upgraded to level 3.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda said the 7,000 residents was only the initial target of evacuation in the cities of Legazpi, Tabaco and Ligao and the towns of Guinobatan, Camalig, Daraga, Sto. Domingo and Malilipot once the alert level is raised.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level status of the volcano from one (low-level unrest) to two (moderate unrest) on Friday after showing signs of increased unrest.

Alert level three means that there is an increased tendency towards eruption and there is relatively high unrest.

Apsemo director Cedric Daep said vehicles were on standby for possible mass evacuation of residents should the abnormalities of Mayon further intensify.

Salceda directed Apsemo to start updating the population at risk and critical resources data of cities and towns around the volcano to determining the number of people to be placed in safer grounds.

He also directed city and town disaster councils around the volcano to be on a 24-hour watch, review their respective contingency plans and evaluate their communications and warning capacities.