Marcos orders preemptive evacuation ahead of Super Typhoon Bavi

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has ordered the preemptive evacuation of residents in high-risk areas and the pre-positioning of rescue teams, relief goods, and essential supplies in preparation for Super Typhoon Bavi, Malacañang said Monday.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said Marcos also directed authorities to secure safe evacuation centers and to set up livestock equipment zones, identify alternate routes, enforce sea travel bans, inspect critical infrastructure, provide early assistance to vulnerable sectors, and monitor flood-related diseases.

Marcos also ordered the conduct of pre-disaster risk assessment scenario meetings, for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) and its regional counterparts to be on standby, issue alert warnings as needed, and launch an information campaign across all channels.

"So, ito naman po ay whole of government approach, so lahat po ng ahensya na-involve ay kailangan po kumilos. 'Yan po ang utos ng Pangulo," she said.

(So, this is a whole-of-government approach, which means that all agencies involved must take action. That is the President's directive.)

As of 2 a.m. Monday, Bavi was located 2,355 kilometers east of Southern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 215 kph and gusts of up to 265 kph.

The cyclone is forecast to enter the PAR by the middle of next week, when it will be assigned the local name Inday. — VDV, GMA News