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Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Monday said he wants the “window hours” in lockdown areas to be stopped as areas within the 14-kilometer radius danger zone from Taal Volcano are still dangerous.

“We should stop that (window hours). I don't see the logic of giving four hours where in fact we don't even know when it will erupt and matter of minutes everybody will die,” Año told reporters in an interview.

In an earlier press conference, he said while he allowed local government units to decide whether they will allow their constituents to return home for few hours to check their belongings and feed their animals, it should not be done everyday.

“I would provide instructions to the LGUs ( local government units), those who provided the window hours to stop that. Visitation should not be done everyday. We just gave them humanitarian consideration but this time we will be very strict,” Año said.

Año said lockdown and mandatory evacuation should be imposed as long as the volcano is under Alert Level 4.

He said he supports the decision by LGUs to declare a lockdown on the concerned barangays.

“We appeal to our people to heed the instructions of local disaster officials due to the continuous risk posed by Taal Volcano to all residents,” he said.

Last January 17, fourteen towns in Batangas province have been placed on lockdown due to Taal Volcano's continued unrest.

However, some residents appealed to local authorities to allow them to get some of their things and feed their animals that were left behind.

Some LGUs implemented window hours from 5am to 8am and 3pm to 6pm. Ella Dionisio/DMS