Volcanoes are openings in the earth's crust that allow magma, hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from below the surface. The earth's crust is broken into tectonic plates that move and occasionally cause pressure to build under the surface, resulting in volcanic eruptions when the pressure is released. There are three main types of volcanoes: composite volcanoes, shield volcanoes, and dome volcanoes, which erupt in different ways depending on the viscosity of the lava. Several active volcanoes in the Philippines are discussed, including Mayon Volcano, Taal Volcano, and Kanlaon Volcano. Volcanic eruptions can have both positive and negative environmental impacts