Super Typhoon Bavi poses high risk to Northern, Eastern Luzon —OCD

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) on Tuesday identified portions of extreme Northern Luzon and Eastern Luzon as high-risk areas for Super Typhoon Bavi.

As of 3 p.m., the tropical cyclone was estimated at 1,705 km east of Central Luzon outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), and is expected to enter the region between Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.

“Kabilang po diyan iyong mga lugar sa Region II, iyong Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Northern Cagayan at ganundin iyong Isabela,” OCD spokesperson Junie Castillo III said in a “Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon” interview Tuesday.

(This includes areas in Region II, specifically Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Northern Cagayan, and Isabela.)

Once inside PAR, the super typhoon will be given the local name “Inday.”

Aside from the direct impacts of Bavi, OCD cautioned the public about the possible enhancement of the super typhoon by the Southwest Monsoon, or Habagat.

“... Tatama [ito] doon sa western part ng ating bansa, Luzon hanggang Visayas ‘no, itong area ng Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Palawan, pati tayo dito sa NCR, ganoon din sa Mindoro at saka sa Western Visayas,” Castillo said.

([The habagat] will hit the western part of our country from Luzon to Visayas, covering the Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Palawan, Mindoro, Western Visayas, as well as here in NCR.)

Government coordination

The OCD said it has been preparing for the forecast weather conditions over the next few days and has been communicating with regional agencies and local government units (LGUs).

The agency added that they have conducted weather updates, risk assessments, and scenario building to determine how hard winds, rains, landslides, or floods might hit different areas.

Castillo said the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), which leads the disaster preparedness pillar of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), has also been in direct coordination with the LGUs.

“And then, direkta rin pong nakakaabot sa mga LGUs natin iyong mga abiso po at mga impormasyon mula sa DOST-PAGASA, sa DENR Mines and Geosciences Bureau at iba pa pong science-based agencies,” Castillo added.

(Additionally, our LGUs directly receive advisories and information from DOST-PAGASA, the DENR Mines and Geosciences Bureau, and other science-based agencies.)

Evacuation sites

The OCD stated that local government units are leading efforts to prepare evacuation centers for residents who may be displaced by the typhoon.

Meanwhile, regional and national government agencies have prepositioned necessary resources and relief goods to immediately assist local government units in need.

“Kasama na diyan siyempre iyong prepositioning noong mga food and non-food items na gagamitin doon sa mga evacuation centers and then ganundin po ‘no, siyempre iyong tauhan na magpapatakbo noong ating mga evacuation centers,” Castillo said.

(This includes the prepositioning of food and non-food items to be used in the evacuation centers, alongside the personnel who will manage these facilities.)

Through the Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster, health clusters, and other clusters with specific duties at evacuation centers, have already prepositioned their personnel and resources, according to the OCD.

Castillo reminded the public to closely monitor weather and evacuation advisories in their respective areas and to comply with pre-emptive measures, including early evacuation.

“Doon po sa mga identified na babahaing lugar at may mga banta nang pagguho, dapat po makinig tayo sa abiso noong ating mga lokal na awtoridad kung ano ang eksaktong gagawin,” Castillo said.

(For those in identified flood-prone areas and places facing landslide threats, we must listen to the advisories of our local authorities on exactly what actions to take.)

“Kapag sinabi pong kailangang lumikas, dapat pong lumikas, kapag po ipinagbawal na iyong mga paglalayag, huwag na po itong gagawin,” he added.

(When you are told to evacuate, you must evacuate. When maritime sailing is prohibited, please comply and do not venture out.)

Castillo urged the public to rely on science-based information for their own safety and well-being.

Under the directive of the President, Castillo said that LGUs are responsible for ensuring that individuals who need to evacuate with their livestock have accommodation to prevent residents from refusing to evacuate to protect their livelihoods.

“Kung mayroon pong mga livestock ‘no, o iyong mga alagang hayop natin na kailangan isamang ilikas ay dapat po iyong ating mga lokal na pamahalaan at mga response agencies natin ay nakahanda rin po para sa mga ganitong mekanismo,” Castillo said.

(If there are livestock or farm animals that need to be evacuated along with the residents, our local governments and response agencies must also be prepared with mechanisms for this.)

The OCD advises the public to stay actively informed about weather conditions, warning that while Super Typhoon Bavi will only directly impact parts of Luzon, its enhancement of the habagat will cause widespread effects across the country. —LDF, GMA News