Government raises flood alert

MANILA, Philippines — The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) issued yesterday a general flood warning advisory over the country’s 12 regions due to two weather systems near Coron in Palawan.

Ricardo Jalad, NDRRMC executive director and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator, said the warnings are for the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon), Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Central Mindanao, Caraga, Cordillera Administration Region (CAR) and the Western, Central and Eastern regions of the Visayas.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), a low-pressure area embedded along the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) was monitored at 115 kilometers west northwest of Coron.

The two weather systems are likely to bring light to moderate rains and thunderstorms and the flooding of rivers in the affected areas, which include Metro Manila.

“Cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, the Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, ARMM and the provinces of Pangasinan, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Benguet, Dinagat Islands, Surigao and Agusan del Norte,” the state weather bureau said in its 4 p.m. bulletin.

It added that light rains and thunderstorms are expected over the provinces of Benguet, Ifugao, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Abra.

For the rest of Luzon and Mindanao, PAGASA noted that partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers mostly in the afternoon or evening will be experienced due to localized thunderstorms.

“There will also be possible occasional lightning, strong winds and heavy rains,” the bulletin noted.

Wind in Luzon will be light to moderate from northeast to northwest, while in the Visayas and Mindanao it will also be light to moderate from northwest and southeast.

“People living near mountain slopes and in low-lying areas and the local disaster risk reduction and management councils in these regions are still advised to take the necessary precautionary measures,” Jalad said.   

In issuing the flood warning advisory, Jalad emphasized to all OCD-attached units that it is always better to be proactive rather than conducting or performing rescue operations in times of disaster.

Meanwhile, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas urged his parishioners to pray the oratio imperata (obligatory prayer) against calamities in all the masses celebrated from Oct. 1 to 31 before the post communion prayer.

He said with strong typhoons, destructive floods and high intensity earthquakes happening in many different parts of the world, “we turn to the Lord who created everything to deliver us from these calamities.” 

“Prayer has power. Prayer is our power. We trust in the mercy of God,” Villegas added.

People are also asked to pray for God’s deliverance and protection from violence and wars, corruption and sin, criminality as well as selfishness and indifference. – With Rhodina Villanueva, Eva Visperas