PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to hold a command conference on Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Thursday, September 13.
The Chief Executive's command conference is set around 3 p.m., Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said in a press conference with Palace reporters.
The meeting will be held at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Operations Center in Camp Aguinaldo, where Duterte is expected to discuss contingency measures to mitigate the possible impact of Ompong.
"The President will hold a command conference in the NDRRMC to make sure that our state of readiness for Ompong will be at its highest level," Roque said.
Duterte was initially set to visit Bataan on Thursday, but it was cancelled due to the typhoon.
Located 725 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, Ompong is moving west at 20 kilometers per hour with maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts up to 255 kilometers per hour, the state weather bureau said in its 11 a.m. advisory.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hoisted Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 1 in Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan group of Islands, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Isabela, Benguet, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon inc. Polillo Island, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias and Ticao island.
Roque re-assured that the government is "100 percent" ready to assist individuals who will be hit by the typhoon.
"Muli po, pinapaaalahan ang publiko na maging alerto at ligtas (Again, we remind the public to be alert and safe). We're prepared. We're 100 percent prepared," the Palace official said.
In a press conference Thursday, September 13, the Pagasa said the effects of Ompong, such as heavy rains and strong winds, will be experienced on Friday, September 14, in the eastern section of northern Luzon, particularly Ilocos and Appari.
Areas in the Visayas region will also be slightly affected with light to moderate to occasionally heavy rains due to the enhanced southwest monsoon rains or habagat, Pagasa added.
The weather bureau also warned the public, especially those living in the seaboards of Isabela, Cagayan and Ilocos Sur, against storm surges of up to six meters.
Fisherfolk and those with small sea vessels were advised not to venture out into the waters in areas under signal number 1, the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and of Mindanao.
Meanwhile, Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said residents in the coastal towns, including the 13 barangays in Boguey, 12 barangays in Calayan and two barangays in Carwan, have been evacuated in preparation for the typhoon and storm surge.
"Worse comes to worst, nakapag-prepare naman na po lahat yung mga nandyan sa coastal towns po natin at nagkakaroon na ng preemptive evacuation sa mga coastal towns," he said.
"Kahit na papaano po, we will always prepare for any contingency na kailangan gawin depende sa kung saan babagsak," he added.
He said local disaster response units have already prepared for the typhoon where they already prepositioned relief goods while contingency plans had already been laid down.
Mamba also called for the National Government's help particularly in evacuating residents from the island municipalities going to the city in case of emergency.
"Panawagan na lang namin coming from the national government even after the typhoon mga air assets, helicopters para ma-evacuate namin yung mga emergencies namin. Kasi kailangan dalhin din sila, wala tayong malalaking hospital sa mga areas na yan para madala din sila sa mainland para mapagamot kung sakali," Mamba said.
Typhoon Ompong was forecast to make landfall in Cagayan province on Saturday, September 15. (VoxPop Philippines)
