MANILA – Weathermen placed on Friday Metro Manila and 16 provinces under signal No. 2 with the approach of typhoon “Santi†which maintained its strength of 150 kilometers per hour (kph) center winds and gusts of up to 185 kph.
As a result, classes from elementary to high school were suspended; some government employees were allowed to work for only half-day and the military as well as the police were placed on “blue alert,†meaning they are on call 24 hours a day while the emergency situation exists.
At the same time, the Philippine Coast Guard banned sea travel for all types of vessels in the affected areas, stranding more than 3,000 passengers in Manila, Southern Luzon and the Bicol Region.
Officials said most of the passengers were taking advantage of the three-day weekend by hurrying to go home to their provinces for the annual observance on All Saints Day on November 1, when Filipinos from all walks of life will flock to the cemeteries nationwide to pray for and pay homage to their departed loved ones.
Malacañang has declared November 2, All Souls Day in the Roman Catholic calendar, a special public holiday because November 1, a legal public holiday, fell on a Sunday.
Nathaniel Cruz, the chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), warned that Santi (international codename Mirinae) was carrying strong winds and heavy rains as it neared the town of Infanta, Quezon province in Southern Luzon where it was expected to make landfall Friday night.
In an 11 am Pagasa advisory on Friday, Cruz said Santi was spotted 350 kilometers east northeast of Infanta and traveling at 22 kph.
With the approach of Santi, typhoon signal No. 3 was raised over Polillo Island in Southern Luzon and northern Aurora province in Central Luzon.
Aside from Metro Manila, on the other hand, Cruz said signal No. 2 was hoisted over 16 provinces, including Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan in Central Luzon; Rizal, Batangas and Quezon in Southern Luzon; and Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Marinduque in the Bicol Region.
Under signal No. 1, Cruz said are the provinces in Northern Luzon like Pangasinan and La Union as well as Isabela, Quirino and Cagayan, Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region like Ifugao and Benguet, both in the Northern Luzon highlands.
Based on Pagasa projections, Cruz said Santi will be 70 kilometers west northwest of Metro Manila, or in the vicinity of Zambales province in Central Luzon Saturday morning. He added that by Sunday morning, it will be 600 kilometers west of Manila as it moves away from the country.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) assured that everything is in place to cope with the arrival of Santi, particularly the pre-positioning of relief items, rescue teams and needed equipment like rubber boats, aircraft, trucks and similar vehicles.
The NDCC added that evacuation of residents has already started from the identified “danger zones†such as those living along riverbanks and coastal areas, flood-prone and other low-lying areas as well as those living at the foot of hills and mountainsides threatened by landslides and rockslides.
Cruz noted that Santi is the 18th weather disturbance to hit the country this year and the fourth to batter, especially the main island of Luzon in more than a month after the disastrous visits of typhoons “Ondoy†(international codename Ketsana), “Pepeng†(international codename Parma) and “Ramil†(international codename Lupit, or “cruel†in Filipino)
In particular, Ondoy and Pepeng wrought extensive destruction and damage on infrastructure, private properties and the farm sector worth the equivalent of less than $1 billion, according to officials.
The loss of human lives was also heavy with the death toll from Ondoy and Pepeng reaching over 1,000, officials added.
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