Neneng to exit PAR; 2 cyclones watched

MANILA, Philippines —  Tropical Depression Neneng is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) today as state meteorologists monitor two other tropical cyclones, one of which could enter the country next week and enhance the southwest monsoon.

Based on the latest weather forecast at 5 p.m. yesterday, Neneng was located 375 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, moving west-northwestward at 35 kilometers per hour. It was packing winds of 45 kph and gusts of up to 55 kph, which were enhancing the monsoon.

It is expected to exit PAR this afternoon or weaken into a low-pressure area.

A tropical storm with international name Saudel was being monitored 3,005 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao. It was packing winds of 75 kph and gusts of up to 90 kph while remaining almost stationary.

Saudel has a high chance of entering PAR by next week. Should it enter the Philippine territory, it will be given the local name Obet, the 15th tropical cyclone this year and the fourth for the month after Luis, Maymay and Neneng.

While forecasts show that Saudel will not make landfall, it is expected to enhance the monsoon.

The other tropical depression was located 905 kilometers west of extreme Northern Luzon, packing winds of 45 kph and gusts of up to 55 kph. It has an unlikely chance of entering PAR as it moves northwestward at 20 kph.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon  will continue to bring rains over Luzon and the western section of the Visayas.

Monsoon rains are expected in Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro, while Metro Manila, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas and Oriental Mindoro will also experience occasional rains.

A yellow rainfall warning, indicating 50 to 100 millimeters of rain, was raised over Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan due to the monsoon until tomorrow afternoon.

With the continuing threat of heavy rains, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Philippine National Police (PNP) have reinforced their disaster response operations.

As of Aug. 18, the DSWD had more than 4.12 million prepositioned family food packs in warehouses nationwide, along with 269,608 non-food items and 318,450 ready-to-eat food items for distribution to affected communities.

The PNP, meanwhile, mobilized at least 689 police officers to areas prone to flooding and landslides and to help stranded commuters.
Five domestic flights were canceled yesterday due to unfavorable weather, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines. The flights include 5J 508/509 Manila-Tuguegarao-Manila, 5J 192/193 Manila-Cauayan-Manila and 5J 472 Bacolod-Manila.

Toll rises to 27

As of yesterday afternoon, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said the number of deaths from weather-related incidents over the past two weeks had reached 27.

Fifteen of the fatalities were from Benguet, three from Rizal, three from Batangas, two from Caloocan City and one each from La Union, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro and Negros Occidental.

The deaths, most of which are still being validated, were attributed to landslides, rockslides, drowning, electrocution and being hit by fallen trees.

Nationwide, tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay, along with rains brought by the southwest monsoon and Neneng, have affected a total of 5,394,342 people.

Estimated infrastructure damage has reached more than P3.5 billion while agricultural damage has surpassed P1.423 billion. A total of 1,993 houses were damaged, including 206 that were destroyed.

The continuing rains have also taken a heavy toll on agriculture.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas called for immediate production subsidies, free seeds and farm inputs, crop insurance and rehabilitation assistance as agricultural damage nationwide topped P1 billion as of Aug. 17, based on Department of Agriculture figures.

Losses included P589 million in palay and P313 million in vegetables.

On the education front, the Department of Education reported that at least 9,009 public schools across 15 regions were affected by the suspension of face-to-face classes due to the effects of the southwest monsoon and Tropical Depression Neneng.

DepEd added that 29 schools with 81 classrooms were being used as evacuation centers for 588 families.

Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian called on the agency and local government units to expedite the repair and replacement of thousands of classrooms damaged by recent severe weather, warning that delays could compromise student safety and worsen existing facility shortages.

He noted that DepEd was already grappling with a nationwide classroom backlog of 147,000 as of July last year and stressed that a swift and coordinated response is crucial to ensure schools are safe and ready for the resumption of classes and to prevent prolonged disruptions to students’ learning.

To address the immediate aftermath of the storms, DepEd allocated P34.355 million for cleanup and clearing operations in 1,195 affected schools and another P201.586 million for minor repairs to 4,114 damaged classrooms.

“Whenever we recover from disasters, damaged classrooms must be immediately repaired or replaced so that students are not put at risk simply because the facilities are not promptly restored,” said Gatchalian. –  Artemio Dumlao, Michael Punongbayan, Ric Sapnu, Bella Cariaso, Neil Jayson Servallos, Delon Porcalla, Kate Judson, Emmanuel Tupas, Rudy Santos