SUPER THREAT
PEPITO (international name Man-yi) has intensified into a super typhoon yesterday.
All areas where wind signals are hoisted were urged to prepare as the cyclone packs maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph.
It was located 185 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar or 250 km east of Juban, Sorsogon as of 10 a.m., and is moving west northwestward at 25 kph.
Typhoon-force winds will prevail in areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4 is hoisted — Catanduanes and the northeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan, Lagonoy, San Jose).
TCWS No. 3 is hoisted over the eastern portion of Camarines Norte (Vinzons, Talisay, Mercedes, Daet, Basud, San Vicente, San Lorenzo Ruiz), the northern and southeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Sagñay, Tigaon, Goa, Tinambac, Siruma, Buhi, Ocampo, Iriga City, Sipocot, Pili, Cabusao, Calabanga, Bombon, Magarao, Canaman, Naga City, Camaligan), the eastern portion of Albay (City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Tiwi, Malinao, Santo Domingo, Manito, Legazpi City, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu), the northeastern portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, City of Sorsogon, Gubat), eastern portion of Northern Samar (Palapag, Laoang, Mapanas, Gamay, Lapinig, Catubig, Pambujan) and the northern portion of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Jipapad). Storm-force winds will prevail in these areas.
Gale-force winds are forecast in areas under TCWS No. 2: The southeastern portion of Isabela (Dinapigue), Aurora, Quezon, the eastern portion of Rizal (Tanay, Pililla, Jala-Jala), Laguna, the rest of Camarines Norte, the rest of Camarines Sur, the rest of Albay, the rest of Sorsogon, Burias Island, Ticao Island, the central portion of Eastern Samar (Dolores, Maslog, Can-Avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, City of Borongan), the northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Tarangnan, Motiong, Gandara, Jiabong, City of Catbalogan, Paranas, Hinabangan, San Sebastian, Pagsanghan), and the rest of Northern Samar.
Areas under TCWS No. 1 will experience strong winds: Mainland Cagayan, the rest of Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, the rest of Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Marinduque, the northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Naujan, Baco, Victoria, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Bansud, Gloria, Pola, City of Calapan), Romblon, the rest of Masbate, rest of Eastern Samar, the rest of Samar, Biliran, the northern and central portions of Leyte (Tunga, Pastrana, San Miguel, Matag-Ob, Tolosa, Palo, Calubian, Leyte, Mayorga, Julita, Carigara, Babatngon, Dagami, Jaro, San Isidro, Santa Fe, Albuera, Villaba, La Paz, Palompon, Macarthur, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Merida, Ormoc City, Isabel, Dulag, Capoocan, Alangalang, Burauen, Tabango, Tacloban City, Kananga, Barugo, Abuyog, Javier, City of Baybay, Mahaplag), the northeastern portion of Southern Leyte (Silago), the northernmost portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin) including Bantayan Islands, the northernmost portion of Iloilo (Carles), northern portion of Dinagat Islands (Loreto, Tubajon).
“You may be wondering why Metro Manila, for instance, is under TCWS no. 1 and yet the weather looks okay. Please remember that there is a lead time of up to 36 hours before the areas under TCWS No. 1 could feel the strong winds,” Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster Chris Perez said in a briefing before noon.
The lead time for areas under TCWS. No. 4 is 12; 18 for TCWS No. 3; and 24 for TCWS No. 1.
Intense to torrential rains are likely in Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, and Camarines Norte.
Heavy to intense rains are forecast in Albay, Quezon, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar, while moderate to heavy rains will be experienced in Sorsogon, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, and Masbate.
“Hopefully, you have enough stocks. Coordinate with your local DRRM (disaster risk reduction management) officers for safety precautions,” Perez said.
He also emphasized that all areas with wind signals should prepare for worst-case scenarios.
Pepito is forecast to make landfall over Catanduanes on Saturday night or early Sunday.
Perez, however, said that the “area of probability” shows that the landfall point could be over the eastern coast of Camarines Sur or Albay.
“All areas within the typhoon’s periphery, all areas with wind signals should be prepared,” he reiterated.
Meanwhile, there is a high risk of life-threatening storm surge with peak heights exceeding 3 meters in the next 48 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Ilocos Region (western coast), Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Marinduque, Bicol Region, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, and Leyte (northeastern coast).
DSWD READIES 1.3M FOOD PACKS AHEAD OF ‘PEPITO’
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has a national stockpile of 1.3 million family food packs (FFPs) to augment the needs of local government units (LGUs) still recovering from the effects of previous storms and those that may be affected by Typhoon Pepito (international name Man-yi).
This was reported by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. at a situation briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) office at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Friday.
“We maintain a 1.3 million stockpile of FFPs nationwide. We’re not dropping that. Then we’re now utilizing two supply lines. Simultaneously, we’re producing from Central Luzon, Pasay City, and Cebu,” Gatchalian told the President.
“We’re already getting our suppliers delivered to us prepacked. While we’re producing, we’re also receiving prepacked levels,” he said, citing enhanced efforts to expedite preparations for Pepito.
The strategy falls under the agency’s Buong Bansa Handa mechanism, which facilitates the activation of two supply chains simultaneously, especially during disasters.
The first supply chain focuses on improving the production capabilities and processes at the DSWD’s National Resource Operations Center in Pasay City, the Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Cebu, and various warehouse and storage facilities across the 16 DSWD field offices.
The second supply chain involves collaborations with the private sector to meet the needs of families in various disaster-stricken areas.
The recent replenishment of the department’s Quick Response Funds also ensures that the agency would have adequate relief supplies despite the increasing demand, he said.
LEARN FROM PREVIOUS STORMS — PBBM
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. called on various government agencies to use the important lessons from the previous storms in dealing with incoming typhoons.
Such lessons should be communicated to local government units to further prepare communities against disasters, the President said.
“Again, I think that we have properly followed the procedures we have set up for ourselves for disaster response,” he said during a briefing on incoming typhoon Pepito at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Friday.
“We must remember all the lessons we learned from previous incidents of storm surge and we have to provide guidance to our local executives so that they know what to do and how to protect themselves against possible storm surge,” he said.
The President called for a meeting with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to determine the status of government response for Typhoon Marce and Pepito.
As to the perennial flooding in Metro Manila, the President said local authorities now have a better idea where flood water flows.
“Because as we began to see the – ‘yung dinadaanan ng tubig, nagbabago eh. Pero ‘yung bagong pinagdaanan ng tubig, alam na natin ngayon,” he said.
“So, let’s look back on the experience that we’ve had in the past few typhoons that caused street flooding, that dropped 700 millimeters in just past 24 hours. A little more than 24 hours,” he added.
He said LGUs must preposition heavy equipment, vehicles, rubber boats, and air assets.
The President ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr) to do the same.
MARCOS: PH FOOD SUPPLY ENOUGH DESPITE TYPHOONS
Despite the massive destruction brought by the recent typhoons to the agriculture sector, the President assured on Friday the country has enough food supply.
“In terms of food security, we’re alright. But marami talagang nasisira. Nasira na…ang dami ng nasira na Palayan, ang dami na nasira na tanim. We will just have to compensate for that,” President Marcos said.
The President made the remarks when asked if the government is not bothered about the country’s food security following the successive typhoons that affected the country’s agriculture.
He said food production was high even during the El Niño phenomenon.
When asked about the typhoons’ effects on the government’s rice imports, President Marcos said he was informed by the Department of Agriculture (DA) of a possible importation of around 4.5 million tons.
“Ang upper estimate is 4.5 [million tons] but we have already in place the prices of rice – imported rice has gone down significantly since last year. And we are not in competition like during the El Niño period,” he said.
“During the El Niño period, tinamaan lahat ng ASEAN countries kaya’t tumaas presyo kasi lahat namimili. Titignan natin. Of course, we’ll do everything to control the price of the food, especially those products that have been damaged or destroyed by Pepito,” he added.
The successive typhoons in the country caused around P7.039 billion in agricultural damages and losses in Regions I, II, CAR, III, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, V, VI, VIII, and XII.
President Marcos reminded that airlift assets should be available to deliver aid before and after the storm.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. assured air assets are ready and on standby for relief and rescue operations.
The President also directed relevant government agencies on Friday to move people to higher ground in preparation for a possible storm surge brought about by incoming typhoon Pepito.
In a press briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), President Marcos emphasized the need for swift government action to ensure the welfare and safety of residents in areas to be affected by the weather disturbance.
“The communities that are within the storm surge areas have to do other things besides just prepare for strong winds and heavy rain. Kasi pag-pasok [ng bagyo], ibang effect niyan. So, we have to get them to the high ground,” President Marcos said.
“It’s not enough to move them away from the sea. We have to get them to high ground. That’s the only thing that we can do when there is a storm surge,” the Chief Executive added during the situation briefing attended by various government agencies.
President Marcos said the Department of the DILG must quickly communicate all necessary information to all concerned LGUs.
The President wanted all government assets, such as emergency vehicles, heavy equipment, rubber boats and air assets, to be pre-deployed near areas to be hit by the typhoon.
The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) called on LGUs to carry out preemptive evacuation starting Friday, Nov. 15.
It advised the national and local governments to take advantage of the calm between typhoons Ofel and Pepito by continuing responses for Marce and Nika and to prepare for the incoming typhoon..
Information dissemination in the forms of alerts and warnings to the public must be done using both local and national media platforms, it said.
The OCD advised the public to refrain from unnecessary travels to keep supply routes open for rescue and relief operations.
“It’s going to be a good way to advise the public that supply routes have to be open, supply lines have to be open for emergency purposes,” an OCD official said.
DOH ON CODE WHITE ALERT
The Department of Health is on “code white alert” and ready to deploy emergency response teams amid the impending onslaught of Super Typhoon Pepito in several parts of Luzon this weekend.
“Sa Code White Alert, ang mga health personnel at staff sa mga pampublikong ospital ay nakaantabay para sa mabilis na pagtanggap sa mga mangangailangan ng atensyong medikal dulot ng bagyo,” the DOH said in an advisory dated Nov. 15.
“Bilang bahagi ng Inter-Agency Coordinating Council, tinitiyak ng DOH ang maigting na koordinasyon ng Kagawaran sa lahat ng Centers for Health Development (CHDs) at Regional o Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices para sa mga pangangailangan ng bawat rehiyong apektado ng bagyo.”
All CHDs, meanwhile, ensure that health emergency response teams are ready for deployment to evacuation centers, particularly in Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Cordillera region, and Metro Manila.
As of this posting, storm surge warnings have been raised in various provinces, especially coastal areas in Luzon and Eastern Visayas. PCO, PNA
