MANILA (Updated, 4:31 p.m.) – President Benigno Aquino III has ordered concerned government agencies to ensure that preventive measures were in place to avoid human casualties and minimize damage to property as super typhoon "Yolanda" is expected to enter the country early Thursday, a Palace official said Wednesday.
In his regular press briefing, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said that Aquino directed Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), to coordinate with the provincial and municipal counterparts for the implementation of the preventive measures.
"Ito ay alinsunod sa direktiba ng Pangulo na matamo ang layuning zero casualty sa ganitong kalamidad," he said.
He also appealed to the print and broadcast media to help in the information dissemination to prepare the public for the storm.
According to the NDRRMC advisory, several areas throughout the country including Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and Eastern Visayas regions, as well as Caraga and Northern Mindanao were placed under red alert due to the upcoming cyclone.
According to the weather forecasts, typhoon Haiyan, locally named as Yolanda, is to make landfall over the Philippines on Thursday.
"Pansinin natin ang takbo ng bagyong Yolanda. Kung matutuloy ito sa kasalukuyan niyang direksyon ay maaaring tamaan ng buong pwersa nito ang buong kapuluan. Ang 'di lang maaapektuhan ay ang dulong hilaga at dulong timog ng ating bansa," he added.
Rescue boats and emergency relief and medical supplies have been prepositioned in strategic areas, Coloma said.
He said all concerned government agencies are on heightened alert to ensure swift response to affected residents, especially those in low-lying and flood prone areas.
Asked if the Palace would lead praying oratio imperata (obligatory prayer), Coloma said that the government's focus is on the preparation and to ensure the safety of the people.
But he added, "Kasama na po sa ating kultura bilang isang—ng ating pambansang kultura na habang naghahanda ay nananalangin din ang ating mga mamamayan."
He assured that the government has enough resources to be used to assist the population which will be affected by the super typhoon.
The NDRRMC also ordered the preemptive evacuation of residents along coastal towns in areas which will be affected by the cyclone.
During the NDRRMC meeting at the Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City Wednesday, Interior and Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II said that respective local governments particularly in Samar and Leyte provinces, where the said weather disturbance is expected to make landfall by morning of Friday, should already conduct pre-emptive evacuation particularly for the residents living in low-lying, coastal and flood prone areas.
"Ang desisyon ay nasa local disaster council. Ang mariin naming nire-remind na lalo na yung mga nasa coastal halimbawa sa Borangan, sa Eastern, Samar ito na ang kaharap nito Pacific Ocean, so diyan talaga yung tatamaan. Hanggang along western coast of Samar ay mariin naming na nireremind ang mga local chief executive na ang pagsisi ay nasa dulo, hangga't habang maaga ay kumilos na," Roxas said.
Rear Admiral Rodolfo Isorena, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) commandant, placed the entire agency's units in the areas which will be affected by the cyclone under full alert. These units were urged to take proactive measures to prevent or at least minimize the loss of lives.
Isorena reminded the ship owners to beef up on its vigilance and abide the guidelines on the "Movement of Vessels during Heavy Weather" when a public storm warning is already hoisted.
The agency reminded the public that during Public Storm Warning Signal Number 1, all maritime vessels of any volume aren't allowed to sail while all kind of shipping vessels are prohibited to travel or left the port terminal. "Absolutely no sea travel, bawal kapag may Signal Number 1 na," Isorena said.
He also reminded the fisher folks to suspend their fishing ventures to some other time until the typhoon exits the country by Sunday.
Isorena added that 40 brand-new rubber boats were delivered at the PCG headquarters on Wednesday to augment the government's rescue force.
Public Works and Highways Secretary Rogelio Singson, for his part, appealed to electric cooperatives in the provinces to conduct trimming and grooming procedure of trees, which are near electric posts, especially those located along major roads, as it usually causes accidents during typhoons.
Singson added that heavy equipment, which will be use just in case mudslide or landslide occurs due to heavy rain and flooding, are already prepositioned in the areas that were recently affected by the magnitude 7.2 quake in Central Visayas, particularly Bohol and Cebu.
Meanwhile, Education Secretary Armin Luistro said that the suspension of classes is already under the discretion of the school superintendent.
He noted that the provinces of Albay and Cebu already suspended classes for Thursday so that the students and their families can prepare for a worst case scenario just in case Yolanda comes in their respective areas. (With SDR/Sunnex)