ZAMBOANGA City Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar on Monday, March 18, ordered

the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (CDRRMO) to make the necessary preparations ahead of the moderate to heavy rains that Tropical Depression Chedeng is expected to dump in Mindanao.

As of 4 p.m. Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said “Chedeng” has slowed down, but was still moving west at 15 kilometers per hour (kph) towards Davao Oriental. Moderate to heavy rains are expected Tuesday, March 19, over Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Bangsamoro and Zamboanga Peninsula.

The weather disturbance is packing maximum winds of up to 45 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 60 kph.

Meanwhile, Salazar assured the public that security in this city has been tightened, especially in all places of worships, following Friday’s attacks on two mosques in New Zealand that killed nearly 50 people and injured several others.

“We do not want the incident to happen in the city. Thus, the local government will be institutionalizing a security response for all religious places of worship — be it a mosque, be it a temple or a church,” Salazar said. (Bong Garcia/SunStar Philippines)