Volcanic Arcs in the Philippines - GOP (Geology Board Exam Reviewer)

Hi, there!

Who said making quality content for a blog is easy? I think no one ever say that but I just kinda wanna point out that it's not an easy job. I am not complaining, rather, I am just sharing. Haha.

I just had to count ~360 volcanoes! (I may have an error but it's only +2!) I gotta say, we may have some weird nomenclature for some of our volcanoes. But it was a nice experience. I just found out that Jala-jala is formally known as Sembrano. We also have our version of Sugarloaf (Sugarloaf Complex) in Zamboanga and our very own Costa Rica! I think I laugh a little inside when I saw one that is named 'Cocoro'. 

Anyway, here are some notes re: Volcanic Arcs.

Five distinct volcanic belts (Pliocene-Holocene volcanoes)

1. Luzon Volcanic Arc (Manila Trench)

2. East-Philippine Volcanic Arc (Philippine Trench)

3. Negros-Panay Arc (Negros Trench)

4. Sulu-Zamboanga Arc (Sulu Trench)

5. Cotabato Arc (Cotabato Trench)

Active volcanic chain (e.g. Mt. Apo) and volcanic cones in central Mindanao

1. located more than 100 km away from any active subduction zone (e.g. Philippine Trench)

2. (Sajona, 1995) probably products of partial melting of a detached slab underneath Mindanao

Most Active Volcanoes (with short response period)

1. Mayon

2. Taal

3. Bulusan

4. Canlaon

5. Hibok-Hibok

Mt. Pinatubo 1991 Eruption

-  largest eruption of the 20^th century in terms of volume ejecta and area covered with ashfall

PHIVOLCS DATABASE

 

1. ACTIVE VOLCANOES (24)

- Erupted within historical times (within the last 600 years)

- accounts of these eruptions were documented by man within the last 10,000 years based on the analyses of material from young volcanoes

 SOURCE: (Delos Reyes, et. Al. 2018, “A synthesis and review of historical eruptions of Taal Volcano, Southern Luzon, Philippines)        

Item No.	Name of Volcano	Latitude	Longitude	Province
1	Babuyan Claro	19.52408	121.95005	Babuyan Island Group, Cagayan in Luzon
2	Banahaw	14.06038	121.48803	Boundaries of Laguna and Quezon in Luzon
3	Biliran (Anas)	11.63268	124.47162	Leyte in Visayas
4	Bud Dajo	6.01295	121.05772	Sulu in Mindanao
5	Bulusan	12.76853	124.05445	Sorsogon, Bicol Region in Luzon
6	Cabalian	10.27986	125.21598	Southern Leyte in Visayas
7	Cagua	18.22116	122.1163	Cagayan in Luzon
8	Camiguin de Babuyanes	18.83037	121.86280	Babuyan Island Group, Cagayan in Luzon
9	Didicas	19.07533	122.20147	Babuyan Island Group, Cagayan in Luzon
10	Hibok-hibok	9.20427	124.67115	Camiguin in Mindanao
11	Iraya	20.46669	122.01078	Batan Island, Batanes in Luzon
12	Iriga	13.45606	123.45479	Camarines Sur in Luzon
13	Isarog	13.65685	123.38087	Camarines Sur in Luzon
14	Kanlaon	10.41129	123.13243	Negros Oriental
15	Leonard Kniaseff	7.39359	126.06418	Davao del Norte
16	Makaturing	7.64371	124.31718	Lanao del Sur
17	Matutum	6.36111	125.07603	Cotobato in Mindanao
18	Mayon	13.25519	123.68615	Albay, Bicol Region in Luzon
19	Musuan (Calayo)	7.87680	125.06985	Bukidnon in Mindanao
20	Parker	6.10274	124.88879	South Cotobato/General Santos/ North Cotabato/Sarangani Provinces in Mindanao
21	Pinatubo	15.14162	120.35084	Boundaries of Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales in Luzon
22	Ragang	7.69066	124.50639	Lanao del Sur and Cotobato in Mindanao
23	Smith	19.53915	121.91367	Babuyan Island Group, Cagayan in Luzon
24	Taal	14.01024	120.99812	Batangas in Luzon

2. POTENTIALLY ACTIVE VOLCANOES (26)

Source: https://wovodat.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/volcano/ph-volcanoes

- Morphologically young-looking but with no historical or analytical records of eruption

3. INACTIVE VOLCANOES (~360)

- No recorded eruptions

- Physical form has been intensively weathered and eroded

- Bearing deep and long gullies

Hasta la proxima!!