Manila, April 16 -- Communities near the Kanlaon Volcano must remain vigilant and heed guidance from authorities, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Wednesday.

"Communities are advised to remain vigilant and to follow the guidance of Phivolcs and their respective LGU (local government unit) disaster risk reduction offices," Phivolcs Director Teresito Bacolcol told the Philippine News Agency in an interview.

"Residents should be prepared for possible evacuation, if necessary, especially in the event of an escalation in volcanic activity," he added.

Kanlaon is still under Alert Level 3, which means it is in a relatively high level of unrest and there is a possibility of further explosive...