There are 53 active volcanoes in the Philippines. The Philippines belong to the Pacific Ring of Fire where the oceanic Philippine plate and several smaller micro-plates are subducting along the Philippine Trench to the E, and the Luzon, Sulu and several other small Trenches to the W.
Tectonic setting of the Philippines
The tectonic setting of the Philippines is complex. It is characterized by a number of small plates squeezed between 2 convergent plate margins, separated by small subduction zones and major transform faults. The currently active volcanoes in the Philippines are found on several corresponding volcanic arcs, which can be simplified into two major N-S trending arcs, the Luzon and Mindanao Volcanic The volcanoes of the Philippines rank as the most deadly and costly in the world: about 13% of its historic eruptions have caused fatalities, most notably at Taal and Mayon, and 22% of its eruptions caused significant damage.
Lahars (mud flows) are very common in the Philippines, because the archipelago has often heavy rains.
Tsunamis accompany eruptions in the Philippines more often than in any other volcanic region.
Since the establishment of PHILVOLCS (the Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology), the impact and damage of the eruptions has been significantly reduced.
