Taal Volcano in the Philippines erupted in January 2020, producing ash plumes that reached Manila and forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people from surrounding provinces. The eruption disrupted daily life across Luzon Island and affected air travel in the region. Taal is one of the Philippines' most active volcanoes and has erupted dozens of times in recorded history.

The Taal eruption influenced contemporary Filipino poetry addressing urban vulnerability, environmental displacement, and the intersection of natural disaster with socioeconomic inequality. Filipino poets like Merlinda Storey Bobis and younger voices from Batangas and Cavite provinces have written about ash-covered cities, evacuated communities, and the resilience of Tagalog-speaking populations, contributing to Philippine literary traditions that document catastrophe while affirming cultural continuity and communal solidarity.