Manila-based photographer Aaron Favila was about to drive his family to the new Star Wars movie on Sunday afternoon when he saw an alarming tweet: The Taal volcano in Tagaytay, just 35 miles (60 kilometers) from the Philippine capital, was spewing ash and threatening an eruption.
The movie would have to wait.
Favila alerted video journalist Bogie Calupitan and chief correspondent Jim Gomez, and immediately started making plans to head to the site, a 2 to 3-hour drive from Manila. He told his family to take his wife’s car to the movie and he set out on the road, with Calupitan not far behind.
People watch as the Taal volcano spews ash and smoke during an eruption in Tagaytay, Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines, Jan. 12, 2020.
AP Photo / Bullit Marquez
Residents evacuate as Taal volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines, Jan. 12, 2020. The tiny volcano near the Philippine capital – drawing many tourists for its picturesque setting in a lake – belched steam, ash and rocks in a huge plume prompting thousands of residents to flee their homes.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
Lightning strikes beside the ash cloud of Taal volcano as it erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines, Jan. 12, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
An evacuee waits as Taal Volcano erupts in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines, Jan. 12, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A resident prepares to evacuate as Taal Volcano erupts, Jan. 12, 2020, in Tagaytay, Cavite province, outside Manila, Philippines.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A family rides through clouds of ash from Taal volcano as they evacuate to a safer area in Lemery, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 13, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A man carries an umbrella through a cloud of volcanic ash from Taal volcano as he evacuates to a safer area in Lemery, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 13, 2020.
Erman Batan breaks in tears over her missing husband Roberto who she had not seen since they evacuated their homes near the Taal volcano in Tagaytay, Cavite province, southern Philippines, Jan. 13, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A rooster crows, covered in ash from Taal volcano’s eruption, Jan. 13, 2020, in Tagaytay, Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A dog walks along an ash-covered road as Taal volcano continued to spew ash in Tagaytay, Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines, Jan. 13, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A man walks through ash-covered vegetation and machinery as Taal volcano continued to spew ash, Jan. 13, 2020, in Tagaytay, Cavite province, south of Manila, Philippines.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A motorcyclist negotiates a road covered with ash from Taal volcano in Lemery, Batangas, southern Philippines, Jan. 13, 2020. Red-hot lava gushed out of the Philippine volcano after a sudden eruption of ash and steam that forced villagers to flee en masse and shut down Manila’s international airport, offices and schools.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A man herds cows rescued from their village in Laurel, Batangas province, southern Philippines, as Taal volcano continued to spew ash, Jan. 14, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
People watch from Tagaytay, Cavite province, south of Manila, as Taal volcano continued to spew ash, Jan. 14, 2020, two days after it began erupting. Thousands of people fled the area through heavy ash as experts warned that the eruption could get worse and plans were being made to evacuate more.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A resident clears volcanic ash from his roof in Laurel, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 14, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
Clouds of volcanic ash rise up from damaged trees in Laurel, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 14, 2020. Taal volcano was spewing lava half a mile high and trembling with earthquakes as thousands of people fled villages darkened and blanketed by heavy ash.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
Evacuees stay at a relief center in Tanaun, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 14, 2020.
AP Photo / Bullit Marquez
Leila de Castro carries a statue of the baby Jesus which she recovered from the house of her sister as she walks on a road covered with volcanic ash in Boso-Boso, Batangas province, southern Philippines,cJan. 14, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
Residents evacuate from the ash-covered village of Laurel, Batangas province, southern Philippines on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A crate of soda bottles is covered with volcanic ash at Laurel, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 14, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
Men carry piglets they rescued across the lake as Taal volcano, background, continued to spew ash in Talisay, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 14, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A statue of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal is covered in volcanic ash in Talisay, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 15, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
An animal volunteer carries a dog he rescued from deserted homes near Taal volcano as residents evacuated to safer areas, leaving some of their pets behind in Talisay, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan.15, 2020. Taal volcano was spewing lava into the sky and trembling constantly, possibly portending a bigger, more dangerous eruption as tens of thousands of people fled villages darkened and blanketed by heavy ash.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A woman wipes a tear during prayers before the distribution of relief goods at an evacuation center at Santa Teresita, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 16, 2020.
AP Photo / Aaron Favila
A family walks with their belongings and pets as authorities enforced total evacuation of residents living near Taal volcano in Agoncillo town, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 16, 2020. The volcano belched smaller plumes of ash on the fifth day of activity, but shuddered continuously with earthquakes and cracked roads in nearby towns, which were blockaded by police due to fears of a bigger eruption.
A family walks with their belongings and pets as authorities enforced total evacuation of residents living near Taal volcano in Agoncillo town, Batangas province, southern Philippines, Jan. 16, 2020. The volcano belched smaller plumes of ash on the fifth day of activity, but shuddered continuously with earthquakes and cracked roads in nearby towns, which were blockaded by police due to fears of a bigger eruption.
As Favila got close, a downpour of ash started to fall, and his wipers couldn’t keep up. Favila shot a few snaps before dark, filed them, and pressed on. Joining the standout photo coverage was recently retired chief photographer Bullit Marquez who contributed key images.
Meanwhile, Calupitan was making his own way to the site, and Gomez was filing urgently from the office. Even from the road, Calupitan secured user-generated content (UGC) from Facebook and from his wife’s office mate who lives near the volcano. Then he spotted a narrow vantage point along the road and set up his live shot. It showed a dramatic scene, with a high cloud of ash rising from the volcano amid intermittent flashes of lightening. Because of their fast work, AP was the only agency with live shots before darkness fell. A major competitor did not arrive at the site until the next morning.
The entire team employed AP’s news gathering strategy of Now, Better, Best: being the first up with live shots and UGC, and then dominating the story for two days even after the competition arrived.
Their fast and professional work was reflected in the play. Ten of the top 100 photos downloaded from AP images were volcano photos, even though the story was competing with NFL playoff games and the Iran plane crash. The top three videos were also of the volcano, with a whopping 2,876 hits combined. The text story was used widely as well. But perhaps the most impressive image was one that didn’t make the wire, this shot of Favila’s car after it was blanketed by ash:
The AP is paying for a thorough cleaning. Oh, and Favila still hasn’t had a chance to see that Star Wars movie, though the force was most definitely with him and his colleagues. For outstanding work, Favila, Calupitan and Gomez win AP’s Best of the Week award.