‘Let’s make an offering’: Duterte jests as Taal Volcano rumbles

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. KARL NORMAN ALONZO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

BATANGAS CITY, Philippines — The government should try the “primitive way” and make an offering to calm down the rumbling Taal volcano.

President Rodrigo Duterte made this joke Tuesday evening during a situation briefing with government officials on the Taal Volcano eruption.

“You should go there and you know say a little prayer and offer something. Let’s go by the primitive way of doing it just like what our forefathers would do it. You make some offerings,” Duterte said.

“It was true then but it might be true now,” he added.

Thousands have been evacuated after authorities raised an alert level 4 in Taal Volcano which means that “explosive eruption” is imminent. Its highest alert level is five, indicating an eruption is taking place.

Taal, which straddles in the province of Batangas, had been restive for months until it suddenly rumbled back to life on Sunday afternoon, spewing a giant ash column into the sky after a phreatic eruption occurred in its main crater.

Swarms of earthquakes and slight inflation of portions of the volcano were detected by authorities who advised residents to stay indoors and to wear protective masks if they had to go outside.