May 7, 2013. Legaspi City. Known to be an active volcano with a near-perfect cone, the world-famous Mayon Volcano erupted Tuesday, killing at least 5 people. Four foreigners and a local guide were reported killed when the majestic Mayon suddenly spewed ash and huge big boulders.
It was supposed to be a fun climb for some 27 foreign mountaineers. It turned out to be a horror climb when Mt. Mayon suddenly and without warning erupted.
“I heard a very loud explosion. It sounded like thunder,” said Nicanor Mabao, an 18-year old tourist guide who survived the blast. “Then red-hot boulders came down on us. I was hit on my left leg.” He said he felt intense heat and his whole body became numb from the shock.
Mabao was brought down on a stretcher later in the afternoon and taken to a hospital where he is now being treated for severe burns.
Five of Mabao’s companions, a Filipino guide and four Germans were all killed, having been fatally hit by hot rocks that came down from the crater.
Sometime in the late 70’s, Bank of America Manila Branch took a group of some 50 hotel executives to Mayon Imperial Hotel in Albay. The project was led by BofA Vice President Dino Crescini who was then head of the bank’s Credit Card operations in the Asia Pacific Region. He led the group to a 3-day weekend tour of Legaspi City that included a mountain climb to the volcano. Fortunately, no untoward incident happened.