The Palace on Friday called on the public to be watchful as tropical depression “Usman” neared landfall in Eastern Visayas four days before the New Year starts.
READ: ‘Usman’ enters PAR, landfall on Friday
“We encourage citizens to be vigilant and monitor the situation through news and announcements from pertinent national and local government agencies,” Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.
The Palace official said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported early Friday that the Department of Social Welfare and Development has a stockpile of family food packs and non-food items, and standby funds amounting to P1.27 million.
He also added that the Department of Health reported a total amount of P7.3 million in logistics positioned in Regions VI, VIII and XI.
“We pray for the safety of everyone,” Panelo added.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the government is all set to respond to cases of emergency as Usman enters the country.
Lorenzana, who chairs the NDRRMC, said that government agencies concerned with disaster response have been getting ready for Usman a week ago.
“The local NDRRMC offices have prepared already. Everything is prepared. There are supplies. Our responders, military, and police are prepared for that,” Lorenzana told Palace reporters in a briefing Friday.
The Defense chief, however, reminded the public of possible and inevitable landslides and flooding due to rainfall.
In its weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration reported that Usman has maintained its course towards Eastern Visayas.
PAGASA said the center of Usman was located at 250 km east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar at 7 a.m. on Friday.
It has winds of up to 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph, moving west-northwest at 10 kph.
Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1 also remained hoisted over 27 areas in the countries.
The following areas under TCWS No. 1 in Luzon are:
Northern Palawan, including the Calamian Group of Islands, Camarines Norte, Southern Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Islands, Southern Occidental Mindoro, Southern Oriental Mindoro, and Cuyo Island.
Areas such as Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Cebu including Camotes Islands, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Antique, and Northern Negros Occidental are also affected in the Visayas while the Dinagat Island is the only area under TCWS No. 1 in Mindanao.
Usman could strengthen into a tropical storm before landfall over Eastern Samar tonight, the weather bureau said.
Usman is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility Sunday evening or Monday morning.
At least 571 evacuation centers have been readied across Easter Visayas ahead of Usman’s landfall.
In Tacloban alone, the region’s capital, the City Disaster Risk Reduction, and Management Office reported that they are preparing 71 evacuation centers and over 5,000 food packs for families that might be affected by the storm.
Tacloban Mayor Cristina Romualdez suspended work in government offices in the city early on Friday.
Catbalogan City Mayor Stephany Tan suspended the government work in the city starting 1 p.m. Friday.
In Ormoc City, Mayor Richard Gomez attended the Ormoc City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council fourth quarterly meeting.
More than 15,000 passengers were stranded in different ports nationwide early Friday due to Usman.
In its advisory, the Philippine Coast Guard said that a total of 15,788 passengers; 1,464 rolling cargoes; 114 vessels and 24 motor bancas were stranded in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon,
Southern Tagalog, Bicol, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Southern Visayas, and Northern Mindanao as of 4 a.m. Friday.
Based on the PCG’s guidelines, no vessel of any type or tonnage shall be allowed to sail except to take shelter, as the situation may warrant, whenever storm signal No. 1 or higher, is hoisted within its point of origin, the intended route and port of destination.
All vessels already underway must seek shelter when any storm signal is hoisted in its immediate vicinity, along its route, and point of destination.
PAGASA on Friday issued a flood warning over the Eastern Visayas provinces as Usman threatens to dump heavy rains on the region.
PAGASA identified several rivers in six provinces that would likely be affected by heavy downpour.
These are in Sangputan, Palo, Solano, Daguitan, Marabong, Cadacan, Bongquirogon, Salug, Pagbanagaran, Pagsangahan, and Binahaan in Leyte; Catarman, Bugko, Pambujan, Catubig, Palapag, Mano, and Gamay in Northern Samar.
Other affected rivers are Oras, Dolores, Ulot, Taft, Borongan, Suribao, Llorento, Balangiga, and Sulat in Eastern Samar; Basey, Silaga, Calbiga and Jibatan in Samar; and Bisay, Himbangan, and Pandan in Southern Leyte; and all river systems in Biliran province.
People living in low-lying areas near these river systems are advised to be alert for possible flash floods. Those settled near mountain slopes are told to watch for signs of landslides.
The Leyte provincial disaster risk reduction and management has been on alert for potential overflow of Binahaan River in Pastrana town since it would affect highly-populated communities near the regional capital.
READ: ‘Usman’ slows, moves westward