The recent spate of untoward incidents that has occurred in and around the crater of Mt. Pinatubo demonstrates a dire need for the Department of Tourism – Region 3 Office to issue its own travel advisory relating to the safety and security of foreign and local tourists aiming to venture into a lahar-laden landscape.
This advisory hereby serves as a WARNING to all tourists who intend to mount an uphill climb to crater of Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales via the jump-off point in Sta. Juliana, Capas, Tarlac that the serene yet crystal blue lake thereat is meant to be a glorious and majestic vista to behold only to be charmed by its natural beauty; never to be treated like a resort playground for swimming, kayaking or aqua cycling. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology has determined that the Pinatubo crater lake water which contains hazardous substances such as arsenic (As), aluminum (Al), boron (BO), chloride (Cl), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), sulphate (SO4) and total solids (TDS) may affect the human health in various ways and may become fatal over an extended period of time. Tourists are forewarned never to stay close to the lakeshore as this poses a potential threat to one’s life due mainly to frequent occurrences of rock falls and landslides, especially during heavy downpour.
