With tropical cyclone Lawin (Jelawat) now a tropical storm, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council upgraded its alert status to "red."

In an 8 a.m. update, the NDRRMC said its operation center upgraded from blue to red as of 8 a.m., after PAGASA classified Lawin as a storm instead of a depression.

Also it said it disseminated severe weather bulletin advisories to the potentially affected regions.

Earlier, the NDRRMC had alerted disaster management officials in Cagayan Valley, Bicol and Eastern Visayas to take proper precautions.

On Friday, PAGASA said Lawin intensified into a tropical storm, and warned fishermen and small sea craft in the Eastern Visayas and Bicol areas against venturing out to sea due to the risk of big waves.

"Lumakas ito habang patuloy na binabaybay ang Philippine Sea (Tropical Storm Lawin gained strength as it continues to cross the Philippine Sea)," PAGASA forecaster Chris Perez said in an interview on dzBB radio.

PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin indicated Lawin was estimated at 670 km east of Virac, Catanduanes, with maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

It was forecast to move west at 11 kph.

"Metro Manila will experience partly cloudy skies with brief rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening," PAGASA said.

Occasional light to moderate rain will be experienced in Ilocos region and Cagayan Valley, though moderate to heavy rain will occur in this area during thunderstorms.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy skies with brief rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the east will prevail over Extreme Northern Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest to west with slight to moderate seas. — LBG, GMA News