PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate conduct of rescue and relief operations in Bicol Region, which is being battered by Tropical Storm Kristine.
Marcos convened concerned national agencies on Wednesday, October 23, 2024, at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City to ensure a concerted effort of the government to mitigate the effects of Kristine.
He ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to use the necessary equipment to open up all the roads and bridges blocked by debris due to landslides.
Marcos said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) should coordinate with the Department of National Defense (DND) for airlifting relief goods, medical equipment, and other necessary items such as water purifiers for immediate distribution to affected communities if needed.
“We can ask the Coast Guard also. The Coast Guard also plays a part in that naman. So, mag-ready na tayo,” Marcos said.
“Make full use of Edca (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) sites for the activities ng AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), for the airlift,” he added.
In its report, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said heavy rains brought by Kristine inundated large areas in Bicol, affecting more than 150,000 residents.
In Camarines Sur, local officials said 300 out of 600 barangays are flooded due to the continuous rainfall.
Marcos also instructed the immediate preparation and prepositioning of necessary relief and equipment for the next areas expected to be hit by the typhoon.
The President said Filipinos in other regions should be made to prepare for the worst.
“There’s nothing we can do except wait for it (the storm) to pass, give all the warnings that we can give, evacuate as many people as we can. But we really have to… ‘yung tinatawag na just batten down the hatches for a day, and make sure that everybody has what they need, everybody has the emergency supplies,” Marcos said.
The OCD also said it is coordinating with other areas, specifically with Western and Central Visayas regions, for the provision of rubber boats to augment rescue efforts in the region.
On the other hand, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian told the President that the agency retained the two-million mark in terms of national stockpile, or the total number of stockpiled goods nationwide.
“This was pre-(Typhoon) Carina level. We had a very good run ng production this past couple of weeks, Mr. President, NROC (National Resource Operations Center) is our Pasay hub. So, we have around 176,000. Our Visayas hub has around 250,000. That’s family food packs,” Gatchalian said.
For the Ilocos Region, there are more than 93,000 available food packs; Cagayan Valley region with over 109,000; Central Luzon with more than 170,000; and over 101,000 for both Calabarzon and Mimaropa, he added.
Meanwhile, Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Brigadier General Jean Fajardo said police personnel are taking part in the conduct of rescue operations, evacuations and distribution of relief to the affected population.
She said 500 police personnel are also deployed in various evacuation centers to ensure the safety of the displaced families.
“Sa ngayon ay mahigit 2,000 na ‘yung naka-deploy ng mga 2,000 personnel at meron tayong RSSF (Reactionary Stand-by Support Force) na around 10,000 at readily available ito in case kailanganin natin magdagdag ng PNP personnel particularly doon sa mga affected areas,” Fajardo said.
(Right now, there are more than 2,000 personnel deployed, and we have a Reactionary Stand-by Support Force of around 10,000 and it is readily available in case we need to add PNP personnel, particularly in the affected areas.)
“Nationwide na ito, particularly concentrated tayo sa mga affected areas particularly diyan sa Region 5 (Bicol Region). Meron din tayo sa Region 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) and other affected areas sa Luzon,” she added.
Pagasa said that as of 4 p.m. Wednesday, Tropical Storm Kristine was spotted 130 kilometers East Northeast of Casiguran, Aurora, or 175 kilometers East of Echague, Isabela packed with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center and gustiness of up to 115 km/h. It is moving Northwestward slowly at 20 km/h.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 3 was hoisted over Isabela, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, the central portion of Abra (Malibcong, Licuan-Baay, Sallapadan, Daguioman, Bucloc, Boliney, Tubo, Luba, Manabo, Bucay, Villaviciosa, Pilar, San Isidro, Pe), Benguet, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler), the northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, San Jose City, Pantabangan), Pangasinan, La Union, and the central and southern portions of Ilocos Sur (Cervantes, Quirino, Sigay, Suyo, Alilem, Sugpon, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Salcedo, Gregorio del Pilar, San Emilio, Lidlidda, Burgos, San Esteban, Santiago, Banayoyo, Galimuyod, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Nagbukel, Santa Maria, Narvacan)
Under TCWS No. 2 were Ilocos Norte, the rest of Ilocos Sur, Apayao, the rest of Abra, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the rest of Aurora, the rest of Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes.
The weather bureau declared Batanes, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Calamian Islands, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands in Luzon; Aklan, Capiz, Antique including Caluya Islands, Iloilo, Guimaras, the northern portion of Negros Occidental (Pontevedra, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Bago City, La Carlota City, Valladolid, Pulupandan, Bacolod City, San Enrique, Murcia, Silay City, City of Talisay, Enrique B. Magalona, Manapla, City of Victorias, Cadiz City, Sagay City, City of Escalante, Toboso, Calatrava, Salvador Benedicto, San Carlos City), the northern portion of Negros Oriental (Vallehermoso, Canlaon City, City of Guihulngan), the northern and central portions of Cebu (Alcantara, Argao, Dumanjug, Sibonga, Pinamungahan, Ronda, Liloan, Cebu City, Moalboal, Consolacion, Danao City, Borbon, Carmen, Daanbantayan, Tuburan, City of Bogo, Tabogon, City of Naga, Lapu-Lapu City, City of Carcar, Mandaue City, Catmon, Minglanilla, Toledo City, Cordova, Compostela, San Remigio, Balamban, Aloguinsan, San Fernando, Asturias, Barili, Medellin, Sogod, Tabuelan, City of Talisay) including Bantayan Islands and Camotes Islands, Bohol, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, and Southern Leyte in Visayas and Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte including Siargao - Bucas Grande Group under TCWS No. 1.
The weather bureau also warned about a moderate to high risk of storm surge, which may occur in the next 48 hours in the provinces of
Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela,
Zambales, Aurora and Quezon.
“There is a possibility of inundation due to rising seawater along with high waves in the low-lying coastal communities in some municipalities in the said provinces,” it said.
Kristine is forecast to make landfall over Isabela on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning before crossing the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon and emerging over the waters west of Ilocos Region.
“Kristine is forecast to intensify into a severe tropical storm before making landfall. Slight weakening will occur while crossing Northern Luzon. Re-intensification may occur over the West Philippine Sea,” said Pagasa.
It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) region on Friday, October 25. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)