Makaturing
Makaturing Volcano, an imposing stratovolcano in the southern Philippines, is situated in Lanao del Sur on Mindanao Island. While the locals call it “Palaw a Magatoring” in Maranao (palaw = mountain), Makaturing is known to have many aliases, such as Macuturin, Macutusing, and Butig Mountains. Makaturing rises approximately 1,940 meters above sea level and encompasses a land area of 399.9 km2, forming a classic stratovolcanic profile with steep slopes and a summit crater. It is primarily composed of andesitic and basaltic rocks, indicative of explosive eruptions typical of subduction zone volcanoes.
Like many stratovolcanoes, the edifice of Makaturing is comprised of lava flows, pyroclastic deposits, and lahar formations. The presence of hydrothermal activity and hot springs in its vicinity suggests an active magmatic system beneath the surface. Historical records list Makaturing as having erupted multiple times, with one of the earliest reported events occurring in 1765 and the latest in 1882 (PHIVOLCS-LAVA, n.d.). The navigator Thomas Forrest described a large eruption at Makaturing in 1765, and his account remains the only written record of the event. Basaltic tephra from the eruption reached 220 km SW to the Sulu islands and 40 km south to the Sultanate of Mindanao. The eruption magnitude was estimated by Jenkins et al. (2020) as possibly VEI 4.
A well-known legend from Mindanao features the epic hero Rajah Indara Patra and includes the location of Makaturing in its narrative. In this tale, two enormous dragons, Omaka-an and his companion Maka-ogis, made their homes in the Gurayen and Makaturing mountain ranges, as well as Mount Matutum. Their reign of terror was so severe that accounts of these fire-breathing dragons spread widely, even reaching Mecca. Upon learning of their menace, Rajah Indara Patra embarked on a quest to slay the dragons. Following his triumph, he settled in Mindanao and became an ancestor of the Lanao people.
Other Names: Palaw a Magatoring (local), Macuturin, Macutusing, Butig Mountains
Latitude and Longitude: 7.65448 124.30324
Region: Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM)
Tectonic Setting: Subduction (Cotabato Trench)
Volcanic Arc/Belt: Cotabato Arc
Volcanic Region/Field: Makaturing Volcanic Field
Volcano Type: Stratovolcano, Pyroclastic cone(s)
Last Known Eruption: 3/18/1882
Morphometry Type: Massif
Highest Peak (masl): 1940
Coordinates of Highest Peak: 7.65448 124.30324
Prominence (m): –
Basal Area (km2): 399.9
Basal Width (km): 22.57
Volume (km3): 307
How to cite this page:
UPRI (2025). Makaturing: Volcanoes of the Philippines (NOAH Open File Reports). Distributed by the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute, compiled by Alexis Bryan G. Rivera. ISSN 2362 7409.
References:
Global Volcanism Program, 2024. Makaturing (271040) in [Database] Volcanoes of the World (v. 5.2.1; 3 Jul 2024). Distributed by Smithsonian Institution, compiled by Venzke, E. https://doi.org/10.5479/si.GVP.VOTW5-2024.5.2
Jenkins, S. F., Phua, M., Warren, J. F., Biass, S., de Maisonneuve. (2020) – Reconstructing eruptions from historical accounts: Makaturing c. 1765, Philippines. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2020.107022
Paguican, E.M., Grosse, P., Fabbro, G.N., Kervyn, M. (2021) – Morphometric classification and spatial distribution of Philippine volcanoes. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2021.107251
PHIVOLCS-LAVA Eruption History. https://wovodat.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/volcano/erupt-history