Kanlaon ashfall prompts class suspension

BACOLOD CITY, NEGROS OCCIDENTAL, Philippines — Kanlaon Volcano generated a grayish ash plume on Monday morning that rose 200 meters above the summit crater and drifted east, prompting ashfall in parts of Canlaon City and the suspension of in-person classes at all levels.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the emission was recorded at 5:51 a.m. by the Upper Pantao Observation Station.

Mayor Jose Chubasco Cardenas issued Executive Order No. 80, Series of 2026, ordering the suspension of in-person classes in all public and private schools in the city starting at noon on Monday until further notice.

The order also covers school activities requiring physical attendance, citing the need to protect students, teachers and school personnel from respiratory hazards and road safety risks associated with volcanic ash.

School heads and teachers were instructed to ensure the orderly dismissal and safe transit of students following the suspension.

Monitoring

The city’s Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, in coordination with the Department of Education, will continue to monitor Kanlaon’s activity and issue further advisories, Cardenas said.

Authorities advised parents, guardians and the public to remain alert and monitor official updates from the Department of Science and Technology-Phivolcs.

Kanlaon remains under Alert Level 2, which indicates that the volcano is exhibiting moderate unrest and that there is a possibility of sudden steam-driven or phreatic eruptions. INQ