THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has deployed reinforcement to provinces heavily battered by Typhoon Tino.
In a statement, PNP acting chief Lieutenant General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said he ordered police regional offices near the path of Typhoon Tino to send forces to the affected provinces outside their areas of jurisdiction to ensure that affected communities receive swift aid and security during the onslaught of the weather system.
Nartatez said this proactive measure aims to prevent loss of life and secure vulnerable areas.
“Kasama na dito ang kahandaan na mag-deploy ng karagdagang assets sa lugar na tatamaan ng bagyo (This includes the preparedness to deploy additional assets to areas that will be hit by the typhoon),” he said.
“I have also tasked our personnel to ensure that preemptive evacuation measures are enforced to ensure the safety of our kababayan,” he added.
Nartatez appealed to the public to heed the advice of local officials and monitor weather updates from government agencies and trusted sources.
As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Tino has slightly weakened as it continues to threaten Western Visayas and Negros Island Region.
As of 10 a.m., Tino was spotted in the vicinity of Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, packed with maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h near the center, gusts of up to 195 km/h, and central pressure of 965 hPa. It is moving westward at 25 km /h.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) Number 4 was hoisted over the northernmost portion of Negros Oriental (Vallehermoso, Canlaon City), the northern portion of Negros Occidental (San Carlos City, Salvador Benedicto, Calatrava, Toboso, City of Escalante, Sagay City, Cadiz City, Manapla, City of Victorias, Enrique B. Magalona, Silay City, City of Talisay, Bacolod City, Murcia, Bago City, Pulupandan, Valladolid, La Carlota City, San Enrique, Pontevedra, La Castellana), Guimaras, Capiz, Iloilo, the central and southern portions of Antique (Patnongon, Sibalom, Barbaza, Valderrama, Hamtic, San Jose, Bugasong, Culasi, Tibiao, Anini-Y, San Remigio, Belison, Tobias Fornier, Laua-An), and the southern portion of Aklan (Libacao, New Washington, Banga, Altavas, Madalag, Balete, Batan).
The southwestern portion of Masbate (Balud), the northernmost portion of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Dumaran, Araceli) including Calamian Islands in Luzon and The northern and central portions of Cebu (Pinamungahan, Ronda, Liloan, Cebu City, Consolacion, Danao City, Borbon, Carmen, Daanbantayan, Tuburan, City of Bogo, Alcantara, Tabogon, City of Naga, Lapu-Lapu City, City of Carcar, Mandaue City, Catmon, Minglanilla, Toledo City, Cordova, Compostela, San Remigio, Balamban, Dumanjug, Aloguinsan, San Fernando, Asturias, Barili, Medellin, Sogod, Tabuelan, City of Talisay) including Bantayan Islands, the northernmost portion of Negros Oriental (City of Guihulngan, La Libertad, Jimalalud), the northern portion of Negros Occidental (Hinigaran, Moises Padilla, Isabela, Binalbagan, City of Himamaylan), the rest of Aklan, and the rest of Antique including Caluya Islands in Visayas were placed under TCWS 3.
Under TCWS 2 were the western and southern portions of Masbate (Esperanza, Pio V. Corpuz, Placer, Cawayan, Milagros, Mandaon), the southern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Bulalacao, Mansalay, Roxas, Bongabong), the southern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Magsaysay, San Jose, Rizal, Calintaan), the southern portion of Romblon (Santa Fe, Santa Maria, Looc, Alcantara, Cajidiocan, Odiongan, San Jose, Ferrol, Romblon, San Andres, Magdiwang, Calatrava, San Agustin, San Fernando), and the northern portion of Palawan (San Vicente, Roxas) including Cagayancillo Islands in Luzon and the western portion of Biliran (Almeria, Naval, Biliran), the western portion of Leyte (Palompon, Merida, Isabel, Matag-Ob, Calubian, Leyte, San Isidro, Villaba, Tabango), the northwestern portion of Bohol (Antequera, Tagbilaran City, Maribojoc, Loon, Dauis, Buenavista, Talibon, Getafe, Tubigon, Inabanga, Panglao, Clarin, Calape, Cortes, San Isidro), the rest of Cebu including Camotes Islands, the central portion of Negros Oriental (Tayasan, Manjuyod, Bais City, Mabinay, Bindoy, Ayungon, City of Tanjay, Pamplona, Amlan, San Jose, City of Bayawan, Basay), and the rest of Negros Occidental in Visayas.
The southern portion of Quezon (San Francisco, San Andres), the southern portion of Marinduque (Torrijos, Buenavista, Gasan, Boac), the rest of Oriental Mindoro, the northern and central portions of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Abra de Ilog, Mamburao, Paluan), the rest of Romblon, the western and southern portions of Albay (Guinobatan, Legazpi City, Camalig, City of Ligao, Pio Duran, Daraga, Jovellar, Libon, Polangui, Oas), the western and southern portions of Sorsogon (Bulusan, Magallanes, Santa Magdalena, Juban, Bulan, Irosin, Matnog, Pilar, Castilla, Donsol), the rest of Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, and the central portion of Palawan (Puerto Princesa City) in Luzon and the western portion of Northern Samar (San Isidro, Victoria, Allen, Lavezares), the western portion of Samar ( San Jorge, San Sebastian, Santa Rita, Villareal, Zumarraga, Pinabacdao, Almagro, Calbayog City, Talalora, Jiabong, Pagsanghan, City of Catbalogan, Gandara, Motiong, Santo Niño, Tagapul-An, Santa Margarita, Tarangnan, Calbiga, Daram, Marabut, Paranas, Basey, Hinabangan), the rest of Biliran, the rest of Leyte, the northern and western portions of Southern Leyte (Libagon, Hinunangan, City of Maasin, Silago, Padre Burgos, Saint Bernard, Malitbog, Bontoc, Tomas Oppus, Macrohon, Limasawa, Sogod), the rest of Bohol, the rest of Oriental Mindoro, and Siquijor in Visayas were placed under TCWS 1.
Typhoon Tino made two landfalls, in Silago, Leyte at midnight and in Borbon, Cebu at 5:10 a.m. Tuesday.
“Due to interaction with the terrain, Tino slightly weakens while crossing the Negros Island Region. However, Tino is expected to remain in the typhoon category throughout its passage over the country and is forecast to re-intensify over the West Philippine Sea,” said Pagasa.
Tino is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday morning. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)