AT 2 a.m. Monday, July 15, the low pressure area spotted off Guiuan, Eastern Samar developed into a tropical depression named Falcon.
As of 4 a.m., TD Falcon was located at approximately 990 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes and moving north northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (kph).
It is packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 60 kph, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in an advisory issued at 5 a.m. Monday.
The weather bureau said scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms will be experienced over Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas due to the trough of Falcon.
The rest of the Visayas as well as Mimaropa and Mindanao will also experience scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon, or habagat.
Residents living in flood- and landslide-prone areas in these regions are advised to take precautionary measures and monitor the weather bureau for updates.
Fisherfolk and those with small seacraft along the eastern seaboard of Mindanao are advised not to venture out to sea due to rough to very rough seas associated with the southwest monsoon.
By Tuesday, Pagasa said light to moderate to at times heavy monsoon rains will prevail over Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Sulu Archipelago.
On Wednesday, moderate to at times heavy rains will be experienced over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Mimaropa, Calabarzon, and Western Visayas due to the combined effects of the tropical depression and southwest monsoon.
In an advisory issued at 6 p.m., Sunday, Pagasa warned those living on mountain slopes and in low-lying areas near rivers in Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental of possible flooding.
Affected rivers in Cebu are Kotkot, Mananga, Guinabasan, Balamban and Sapang Dako and their tributaries.
In Bohol, affected are Inabanga, Ipil, Matulid, Loboc and Abatan. The rivers in Libertad, Tanjay, Candugay, Siaton, Cauitan, Sipocong, Bayawan, Pagatban and Lower Tyabanan in Negros Oriental might also be affected. (MVI/SunStar Philippines)