Taal
Taal Volcano is a complex volcano located in southwestern Luzon. Known historically for having phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions, it is the second most frequently erupting volcano in the Philippines. Its caldera is part of an area of active volcanism known as the Macolod Corridor, a complex NE-SW trending 50-60 km-wide rift zone along Luzon’s western edge. It was shaped by the subduction of the Eurasian Plate beneath the Philippine Mobile Belt at the Manila Trench. In turn, Taal Volcano frequently exhibits increased seismic activity, lake heating, and sulfur dioxide release—documented as early as 1968.
One of its recent significant eruptions was recorded on January 12, 2020, which generated a massive plume of steam, gas, and tephra that rose 10–15 km high, achieving a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 4. Further activity occurred in 2021, 2022, and most recently in October 2024, affirming Taal’s status as one of the Philippines’ most active volcanoes.
Beyond its volcanic activity, it is also known for being a nested landform, particularly for having recursive islands and lakes.
Its innermost island is Vulcan Point. After the 2020 eruption, the crater lake dried up, revealing Vulcan Point as a rocky protrusion from the lake floor. The 2020 eruption momentarily disrupted the island-lake nesting as the crater lake dried up, but later refilled by March 2020.
Surrounding Vulcan Point is the Main Crater Lake, also known as Yellow Lake. However, back in the late 16th century, the main crater had two lakes: a boiling Green Lake and a sulfurous Yellow Lake. The Green Lake was later documented being surrounded by openings exuding vapors a day prior to the 1911 eruption.
The Main Crater Lake lies within the main crater of the Taal Volcano Island (TVI). Aside from the main crater, there are 47 identified cones and craters on the island such as Binintiang Malaki, Binintiang Munti, and Mount Tabaro; all of the aforementioned vents are associated with notable historical eruptions.
The TVI rises out of Taal Lake, also known as Lake Bombon in historical documents. Local legends tell that, before the lake existed, there was a river that a couple traversed upstream to perform a fertility ritual. However, on their way back, “a very strong storm accompanied by a tremendous earthquake” sank their boat and caused a massive flooding in the area, creating the lake. On the other hand, scientific evidence indicates that this caldera lake was part of Balayan Bay before subsequent eruptions separated it from the sea. In fact, its water was notably salty in the late 16th century. However, being isolated from the sea and becoming a catchment for so long, it became freshwater. In turn, many marine creatures adapted to these changing conditions, eventually becoming freshwater variants exclusive to the lake. These endemic species include the tawilis (Sardinella tawilis), the only freshwater sardine in the world often sold as the dried preserve daing; and maliputo (Caranx ignobilis), the freshwater variant of the saltwater fish locally referred to as talakitok.
Other Names: Pulo, Volcano Island, Bombon Lake
Latitude and Longitude: 14.00933 120.99612
Region: Region IV-A CALABARZON
Tectonic Setting: –
Volcanic Arc/Belt: Luzon-Bataan-Mindoro Arc
Volcanic Region/Field: –
Volcano Type: Caldera (Taal Lake); cone-maar complex (TVI)
Last Known Eruption: 2024-04-12 (Phreatic eruption)
Morphometry Type: –
Highest Peak (masl): 300
Coordinates of Highest Peak: 14.00401 120.99180
Prominence (m): –
Basal Area (km2): –
Basal Width (km): –
Volume (km3): –
How to cite this page:
UPRI (2025). Taal: Volcanoes of the Philippines (NOAH Open File Reports). Distributed by the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute, compiled by Julian Marie Bernice M. Grageda & Audrei Anne B. Ybañez. ISSN 2362 7409.
References:
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Bato, M. G., Lundgren, P., Pinel, V., Solidum, R., Daag, A., & Cahulogan, M. (2021). The 2020 eruption and large lateral dike emplacement at Taal volcano, Philippines: Insights from satellite radar data. Geophysical Research Letters, 48, e2021GL092803. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL092803
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