How the regions are dealing with Typhoon Ruby

With Typhoon Ruby bearing down on the Philippines, the various provinces in its path have been making preparations in anticipation of its wrath.

 

Six domestic airports in Eastern Visayas and Bicol were closed Saturday due to bad weather conditions from Ruby, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said.

 

ALBAY: The province was declared under a state of calamity on Saturday, in a move that will allow it to avail of calamity funds. Governor Joey Salceda said the provincial council passed a resolution to the effect during a special session. Earlier Saturday, the Office of Civil Defense in Bicol sought the declaration of a state of calamity for all provinces in the region due to the threat of Typhoon Ruby. OCD Region 5 head Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV said this should unlock calamity funds to address the needs of residents affected by the typhoon. Salceda said the PNP will establish traffic control management in three lahar-prone routes: Salugan, Camalig; Maipon; and Lidong-Padang. Albay is keeping watch over areas near Mayon Volcano due to the danger of heavy rain from Ruby loosening lahar deposits at the volcano.

 

BOHOL: Evacuation was done in landslide-prone areas including Esperanza and Villa Aurora, the municipal public information office said.

 

BULACAN: Bustos Dam in Bulacan on Saturday morning opened one of its gates to preemptively release water in preparation for Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit). The Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the dam opened one sluice gate at one meter, discharging water at 20 centimeters. It said this was a "preemptive releasing for Typhoon Ruby" and that the effect is "minimal." Affected areas include Baliwag, Bustos, Plaridel, Pulilan, Calumpit, Paombong, Hagonoy, Angat, San Rafael and Norzagaray.

 

CEBU: Hunger and crowding are among the problems faced by people evacuated from danger zones due to Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit). In Cebu, 565 families or 2,148 people crowded the Mambaling Sports Complex, GMA Cebu reported. The evacuees at the sports complex were from sitios Pungtod, Nava, Lawis, and Wangyu in Barangay Mambaling. Many of the evacuees said they have no food. Barangay captain Wilfredo Go said they could not give the evacuees food as they have yet to get assistance from the city government. Around 1,000 evacuees from a coastal area were brought to Carreta Elementary School while another 100 evacuees were brought to the sports complex in Barangay San Nicolas, also in Cebu City. In Naga City in Cebu, power was knocked out in eight houses after a coconut tree toppled by strong winds from Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) hit power lines. The Cebu provincial government said the incident occurred at about 7 p.m. It said no one was hurt. Naga Emergency Assistance Team (NEAT) went to the area and cut the fallen coconut tree, which knocked down two electric posts in Barangay Langtad.

 

ILOILO: Some evacuation centers in Estancia town were also crowded, GMA Iloilo reported. As of 8 a.m. Saturday, 6,643 families of 2,764 people were staying in 13 evacuation centers, but more evacuees are expected. The Iloilo Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office had dump trucks to deliver food packs to northern Iloilo.

 

ORIENTAL MINDORO: Forced evacuation of 5,000 families was implemented in Oriental Mindoro, GMA News' Isay Reyes reported on "24 Oras Weekend."

In an interview on dzBB radio, Governor Alfonso Umali Jr. said the forced evacuation will take place Sunday morning. Umali warned those who refuse to evacuate they will face arrest.

 

QUEZON: Nearly five months after Typhoon Glenda ravaged Quezon, residents got their relief goods only now, "24 Oras Weekend" reported.

 

EASTERN SAMAR: Some residents in Borongan City returned to their homes Saturday morninga fter learning Typhoon Ruby (Hagupit)'s landfall would be delayed to early Sunday, radio dzBB's Carlo Mateo reported. Many of the returning residents rode tricycles from the provincial capitol to their homes for now. They reasoned state weather agency PAGASA had indicated that Ruby would make landfall likely at 2 to 8 a.m. Sunday. But the dzBB report also said the Eastern Samar provincial government is to start Saturday the forced evacuation of residents especially from coastal areas in danger of storm surges. On the other hand, the report also noted brownouts in Borongan as Ruby drew closer. Many establishments have been closed for Saturday. In Borongan City, officials continued to convince residents of coastal towns to evacuate from their homes, GMA News' Mariz Umali reported on "24 Oras Weekend." Waves reaching higher than 4.5 meters were seen along the coast of Barangay Bato in Borongan even before Ruby's projected landfall.

 

SAMAR: Borongan Bishop Crispin Varquez appealed to traders not to exploit the calamity by jacking up prices of their goods, saying it is a "great sin against God." Varquez's appeal came amid reports of panic buying of basic goods last Thursday in the province and nearby areas.

 

TACLOBAN CITY: Bureau of Fire Protection personnel went door-to-door in asking residents in coastal areas of Tacloban City to evacuate, GMA News' Sandra Aguinaldo reported on "24 Oras Weekend." While more than 7,000 families had evacuated, many residents still stayed in their homes to keep guard over their belongings. Heavy rain and strong winds had been felt in Tacloban City since Friday night. A little over one year ago, Tacloban was one of the areas hit hardest by super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), which left 6,300 dead.

 

SOUTHERN LEYTE: Governor Roger Mercado told dzBB radio Saturday evening that the local government conducted evacuation as a precautionary measure to ensure zero casualty. — Joel Locsin/JST, GMA News