ANTIQUE – The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (PDRRM) Emergency Operations Center (EOC) here went on blue alert due to Super Typhoon Pepito.
Broderick Train, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), issued a memorandum on Friday, November 15, addressed to all members of PDRRM Council and municipal and barangay DRRMCs that the white alert status was raised to blue alert and activated the on Alpha emergency preparedness and response protocol.
“In view of the Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) Core group meeting conducted by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council VI on the possible threat of Typhoon “Pepito” that will likely to affect the Province of Antique, the PDRRMC EOC now raises its alert status from white to blue alert level and Emergency Preparedness and Response on Alpha protocol effective today, November 15, 2024,” read part of the said memorandum.
Following this, all municipal and barangay EOCs were directed to activate effective immediately on the same status to establish close monitoring, intensified coordination and operational readiness to confront the adverse effects of the particular hazard in the province.
All provincial and municipal DRRMC members, concerned local government units (LGUs), response clusters, and stakeholders were also enjoined to undertake highest level of monitoring, reporting, inter-operability response coordination and actions, likewise stringently follow the Alpha protocol as provided in the Disaster Preparedness Manual (Operation Listo) for City and Municipal LGUs.
Moreover, all concerned municipal and barangay DRRMCs were advised to undertake necessary pre-emptive evacuation and other appropriate response actions, if the threat is imminent.
Train said the activation shall be maintained until further advised and shall be subject to change based on the weather situation and risk updates.
Super Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-Yi) has maintained its strength ahead of its landfall over the vicinity of Aurora province yesterday afternoon, November 17.
In its 2 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Pepito was last seen over the coastal waters of Baler, Aurora packing maximum sustained winds of 185 km. per hour (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 230 kph. It is moving northwest at 20 kph.
The powerful typhoon was forecasted to make landfall in the vicinity of Aurora between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. yesterday.
“It will then cross the northern portion of Central Luzon and the southern portion of Northern Luzon via the upland regions of the Sierra Madre, Caraballo, and Cordillera Central in the evening,” according to PAGASA.
Pepito is expected to exit the landmass of Luzon Sunday night or early Monday morning, PAGASA added.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5 was raised over the central portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Baler, Dinalungan, Maria Aurora, Casiguran, San Luis), the southern portion of Quirino (Nagtipunan), and the southern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Alfonso Castañeda).
Under TCWS No. 5, typhoon-force winds with “extreme threat to life and property” are expected, PAGASA warned./PN
