Malacañang advised on Monday the communities residing near the Taal Volcano to heed any call from their local government to evacuate once the situation warrants.

Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Elena Bautista-Horn, also the director general of the Presidential Management Staff, appealed to the residents who would be affected by the possible eruption of Taal to follow the advisory that will be issued by their respective authorities to avoid losing lives.

She said the local government is “on the top of the situation” and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvocs) is keenly monitoring the activities of the volcano, which violently erupted in 1965. It was in 1977 when it last time erupted.

“Ang nais nating ipaalaala na pagpina-evacuate po kayo ay sana sumunod kayo. Mahirap balikan at pagsisihan ang mga pangyayari, hinihingi namin ang cooperation ninyo (We want to remind them that once they are told to be evacuated, they should follow. It is hard to look back and be regretful, we are asking your cooperation,” Bautista-Horn said.

Following Taal’s restiveness, the Philvocs had raised Alert level 2 in nine towns in Batangas province surrounding the Taal volcano, including Agoncillo, San Nicolas, Santa Teresita, Laurel, Lemery, Talisay, Tanauan City, Balite, and Mataas na Kahoy.

It also advised the officials of Tagaytay City in Cavite to prohibit tourists from descending to the crater and to the Daang Kastila Trail which are now considered as danger zones.