Palace calls for vigilance, cooperation as ‘Ambo’ lashes PH

FILE: Track of Typhoon Ambo (Satellite image from PAGASA via PNA)

MANILA – Malacañang on Friday urged Filipinos to be vigilant and coordinate with the government as Typhoon Ambo (international name Vongfong) began pummeling the Philippines.

“We ask the public, especially those who will be hit by Typhoon Ambo, to remain vigilant and to cooperate with authorities as they implement their disaster preparedness and response to ensure everyone’s safety,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement.

Ambo, the first typhoon to hit the country this year, made its sixth landfall on Friday morning.

Roque said the government is closely monitoring the situation in the country amid a weather disturbance and the community quarantine nationwide to curb the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“All concerned agencies are alert and on a standby through our Oplan Listo headed by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC),” he said.

Ambo made its sixth landfall over San Andres, Quezon at 7:45 a.m., Friday, according to the Philippine, Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) 11 a.m. weather bulletin.

Ambo is “bringing destructive winds and heavy to intense rainfall over the northern portion of Bondoc Peninsula in Southern Quezon,” PAGASA said.

Ambo sustained maximum winds of 135 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 165 kph.

Meanwhile, the NDRRMC has guaranteed that local state disaster officials would make sure that evacuation centers will not be crowded and sanitary and hygienic conditions will be inspected to protect typhoon victims against the coronavirus disease.

DILG’s Oplan Listo will also be in full force to ensure that local officials will undertake necessary protocols before, during, and after any calamity.

Tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) no. 3 is hoisted over Quezon, including Polillo Island; Rizal; Laguna; the southern portion of Aurora (Dipaculao, Maria Aurora, Baler, San Luis, Dingalan); the southern portion of Nueva Ecija (Licab, Quezon, Santo Domingo, Talavera, Llanera, Rizal, Bongabon, General Mamerto Natividad, Aliaga, Zaragoza, San Antonio, Jaen, Santa Rosa, Cabanatuan, Palayan, Laur, Gabaldon, Peñaranda, San Leonardo, Cabiao, San Isidro, Gapan, General Tinio); the eastern portion of Bulacan (San Miguel, San Ildefonso, Doña Remedios Trinidad), San Rafael, Angat, Norzagaray, San Jose del Monte); the extreme western portion of Camarines Sur (Del Gallego, Ragay, Lupi, Sipocot, Libmanan, Cabusao, Pasacao, Pamplona); and Marinduque.

TWCS no. 2 is raised over Metro Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Batangas, Pampanga, Tarlac, La Union, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, the rest of Aurora, the rest of Camarines Norte, the rest of Nueva Ecija, the rest of Bulacan, Burias Island, the eastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, Umingan, Balungao, Sta. Maria, Tayug, Asingan, San Manuel, Binalonan, Laoac, Urdaneta, Villasis, Rosales, Sto. Tomas, Alcala, Bautista, Bayambang, Urbiztondo, Basista, Malasiqui, Sta. Barbara, Manaoag, Mapandan, San Jacinto, San Fabian, Pozorrubio, Sison, Mangaldan, Dagupan, Calasiao, Binmaley, Lingayen, Bugallon, Aguilar, San Carlos, Mangatarem), and the western portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Calabanga, Bombon, Naga, Magarao, Canaman, Camaligan, Gainza, Milaor, San Fernando, Minalabac Pili).

TWCS no. 1 is hoisted over Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands; Isabela; Ilocos Norte; Ilocos Sur; the rest of Pangasinan; Apayao; Kalinga; Abra; Mountain Province; Ifugao; Zambales; Bataan; Oriental Mindoro; Romblon; Catanduanes; Albay, Sorsogon; the rest of Camarines Sur; the northern portion of mainland Masbate (Aroroy, Mandaon, Balud, Milagros, Baleno, Masbate City, Mobo); and Ticao Island.