by Ivan Stewart Saldajeno February 18, 2021 LOS BAÑOS – The mayor in this town has sought assistance from the Philippine Institute for Vol...
February 18, 2021
LOS BAÑOS – The mayor in this town has sought assistance from the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) regarding a strange white smoke coming from a village here.
Mayor Tony Kalaw on Thursday said he already sent a letter to the Phivolcs officer in charge Renato Solidum to take a look at the steam coming out from under the road of Lakewood Subdivision in Barangay Tadlac.
Kalaw believed the white smoke has something to do with the volcanic activity within Mt. Makiling.
"There appears to be white smoke coming out of the drainage canal," he said in his letter. "I am writing to ask your assistance as regards [to] these matters. We need your expert opinion to quell the demand of our community for a valid explanation."
Kalaw personally went to Lakewood to inspect the smoke.
He then met with the Tadlac's barangay council, officials from Laguna's Provincial Environment and Natural Resource Office, Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), and the homeowners association of Lakewood Subdivision to discuss the immediate plan of action.
Slight panic
In his video statement, Kalaw admitted that the steam coming from the drainage canal of Lakewood is a thing of concern for everyone.
"Merong konting kaba. Hindi mo masasabing walang kaba. Talagang magkakaroon ng kaba dahil sa usok (There is some panic. You cannot say there is no panic. There will really be panic because of the smoke)," he said.
But he said, "Sa tingin ko, wala naman ako makitang danger. Usok lang na gayon (I think there is no danger. Just a mere smoke).”
He said the underground steam even helped him cook fried eggs during his childhood days.
Still, Kalaw called on those who have knowledge about the situation to impart it to the local government to help them resolve the matter.
"Kung meron pong mga tao na nakakaintindi, mag-share po kayo sa Los Baños kung ano ang masasabi niyo. Welcome na welcome po kayo sa Los Baños (If anyone of you has an understanding about this, share to Los Banos what you can say about it. You are very welcome here in Los Banos)," he said.
'It's normal'
Solidum, in a radio interview, affirmed Kalaw's statement that there is nothing to worry about regarding the underground smoke in Lakewood.
"Yung mga thermal area ay normal sa isang bulkan (These thermal areas are normal in a volcano)," Solidum said.
He said Makiling remains an inactive volcano at the moment and that the underground steam is not a sign of a legitimate volcanic activity within the said mountain.
"Kung meron na dating thermal area dyan na tinabunan, syempre, yung tubig na mainit, pupunta sa culvert, at yung init, pupunta doon sa (If a thermal area existed there before the land was developed, of course, the hot water will go to the culvert, and the steam will go to the) drainage. [There is] no cause for alarm," Solidum said.
In a statement, Phivolcs said, "Ang nakitang steaming ay mula sa hot springs katulad ng hot spring resorts na pinupuntahan sa Laguna. Ang hot springs ay normal na makikita sa mga bulkan (The steaming that was seen came from hot springs similar to the hot spring resorts that are being frequented in Laguna. The hot springs are normally seen in a volcano)."
Los Baños is home to some popular hot spring resorts and even private pools.
Some private pools are actually situated inside Lakewood Subdivision. (PNA)
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