The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology lowered on Sunday the alert status of Taal Volcano to Level 3, which means there is a "decreased tendency towards hazardous eruption."

In Bulletin 26 issued at 8:00am, Phivolcs said the volcano's condition in two weeks has generally declined into less frequent volcanic earthquake activity.

There was also decelerated ground deformation of the Taal Caldera and Taal Volcano Island edifices and weak steam/gas emissions at the main crater.

The volcano located in Batangas was raised to Alert Level 4 on January 12 after the phreatomagmatic eruption.

Thousands of families within the 14-kilometer danger zone have evacuated to safer places. DMS