Duterte monitoring Typhoon Rolly, ready to fly to Manila anytime —Go

President Rodrigo Duterte remains on top of government preparations for the onslaught of Typhoon Rolly, his former top aide and now Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said Saturday.

“Patuloy po ang monitoring namin ni Pangulo sa status ng bagyong ito. Sinisigurado ng Pangulo na laging handa ang mga ahensya na magbigay ng immediate assistance sa mga lugar na maapektuhan ng bagyo,” Go said during the Laging Handa briefing.

The senator said that while the President is in Mindanao, the chief executive is ready to return anytime should the weather permit.

“Ngayon po nasa Mindanao po ang ating mahal na Pangulo. Naka-monitor po siya. Anytime naman po ‘yun pwedeng bumalik sa Manila kung papayagan ng magandang weather na po, kung makakalipad po ang eroplano,” Go said.

“Rest assured po ang ating Pangulo ay nakatutok sa lahat ng ahensya ng gobyerno. Ang gusto niyang mangyari, tuwing may ganito, ay maibalik kaagad [o] ma-normalize kaagad ang sitwasyon,” he said.

Likewise, the senator said, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) is prepared to respond to emergencies the typhoon by bring about, and that measures are in place for the distribution of relief packages once the typhoon is over.

Go also said he asked Budget Secretary Wendel Avisado if local government units can still request for aid from the executive, especially those that will be severely affected.

In its 2 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the following areas were under Signal No. 3:

Luzon

• Catanduanes
• the northeastern portion of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, Tigaon, Sagnay, San Jose, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Presentacion, Caramoan, Sagnay)
• the northeastern portion of Albay (Tiwi, Malinao, Tabaco City, Malilipot, Santo Domingo, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu)

Areas under Signal No. 2 include:

Luzon

• the southeastern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Famy, Mabitac, Pakil, Siniloan, Pangil, Paete, Kalayaan, Lumban, Cavinti, Pagsanjan, Luisiana, Majayjay, Magdalena, Santa Cruz, Pila, Liliw, Nagcarlan, Rizal, Victoria, Calauan, San Pablo City, Alaminos, Bay)
• Quezon including Polillo Islands
• Camarines Norte
• the rest of Camarines Sur
• the rest of Albay
• Sorsogon
• the northern portion of Masbate (Mobo, Milagros, Masbate City, Baleno, Aroroy, Mandaon, Balud) including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Marinduque
• Romblon

Visayas

• Northern Samar

Twenty-four areas in Luzon and the Visayas are meanwhile under Signal No. 1, including:

Luzon

• Rizal
• the rest of Laguna
• Cavite
• Batangas
• Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Island
• Oriental Mindoro
• Metro Manila
• Bulacan
• Pampanga
• Bataan
• Zambales
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• Aurora
• Pangasinan
• La Union
• Benguet
• Ifugao
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• the southern portion of Isabela (Aurora, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Benito Soliven, San Mariano, Palanan, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Cordon, Santiago City, Ramon, San Isidro, Angadanan, Alicia, Cauayan City, Cabatuan, San Mateo)

Visayas

• the northern portion of Samar (Tagapul-An, Almagro, Santo Nino, Tarangnan, Catbalogan City, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, Gandara, Pagsanghan, San Jorge, Jiabong, Motiong, Paranas, San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao)
• the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Taft, Can-Avid, Dolores, Maslog, Jipapad, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo)
• Biliran

PAGASA said there is now a high risk of storm surge of more than 3.0 m over the northern coastal areas of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Provinces, and Catanduanes.

Moreover, storm surge of 2.1 up to 3.0 meters high are expected over the coastal areas of Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, the southeastern coastal area of Batangas and the southwestern coastal area of Quezon; 1.0 to 2.0 m over the coastal areas of Aurora, Zambales, Occidental Mindoro, the rest of the coastal areas of Bicol Region, Batangas, and Quezon in the next 24 hours which may result in life-threatening and damaging coastal inundation.

PAGASA said the storm surge may be accompanied by swells and breaking waves reaching the coast.

As of 1 p.m. on Saturday, typhoon Rolly was located 410 km east-northeast of Virac, Catanduanes.

It is moving 15 kph with maximum sustained winds of 215 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 265 kph. —LBG, GMA News