Within sight of a rumbling Mount Mayon, thousands of evacuees are enduring a blue holiday season. But tourists are having fun with the encouragment of some officials. As the 2,460-meter volcano continued to show signs of an imminent major eruption, at least a dozen Korean nationals were joy-riding Tuesday morning on board all-terrain vehicles along the slopes of Lingon Hill, on the outskirts of Mayon's eight-kilometer danger zone. The tourists are engaged in a foolhardy activity that can get them arrested, according to the provincial government, but at least one local executive has given adventure-seeking tourists his blessing. Legaspi City Councilor Cerilo Chan was on radio Tuesday morning downplaying the perils of nearing the volcano and even offered to accompany Albay Gov. Joey Salceda to stroll inside the danger zone. Chan's invitation did not sit well with the governor, who has repeatedly warned tourists against venturing into Mayon's danger zones. “(That) is stupidity. I take it as an offense. I will demand an apology from him,” Salceda said, adding that Chan was mocking the provincial government's efforts. Tourists have been arriving in this city in recent days anticipating the mother of all fireworks in time for the new year, or at least to witness the fiery spectacle of magma visible every night. Mount Mayon, glorified on postcards as the “world's most perfect cone,” is Bicol's biggest tourism draw, but it is also among the planet's most active volcanoes, periodically erupting and devastating surrounding communities. A lava flow that has oozed its way down the southeastern side has already burned trees and vegetation in its path and caused the lower slopes to appear eerily from a distance as if shrouded in rising steam. A reporter who declined to be named said Chan even encouraged him to try zip-lines, an extreme recreational activity, to view the lava flow while hurtling across the panorama attached to a steel cable. The zip-line, however, is near Mayon's lava front and is deemed to be very dangerous. Earlier reports said tourists managed to slip past checkpoints around the danger zone by passing through side roads with the help of local “tourist guides.” Provincial authorities are verifying information that some local officials may even be helping the “underground” tourism industry. The military has set up additional checkpoints and roadblocks to prevent tourists from sneaking into dangerous areas. As of Tuesday noon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said Mayon remained restive. Some 47,560 evacuees in the province are temporarily sheltered in public school buildings in several towns of the province.
