‘Marce may be stronger’
THE Philippine Atmospheric Geographical and Astronomical Administration (Pagasa) yesterday announced that Tropical Depression Marce will hit Cebu at 7 a.m. today.
Pagasa Mactan Chief Al Quiblat said their forecast showed that Typhoon Marce has a strength of 45 kilometers per hour (KPH) and gustiness of 55 kph and was expected to land at 7 p.m. yesterday in Surigao City.
Quiblat said Marce was expected to make a second landfall at 2 a.m. today in Northern Bohol.
Quiblat said that based on their uncertainty cone in the main track, Marce will hit Metro Cebu at 7 a.m. today. If not in Metro Cebu, and in a distance of 50 kms., the weather disturbance will either hit Northern Cebu or Southern Cebu.
Another scenario given by Quiblat is that if Marce will weaken and would be less than 45 kph, once it would make a landfall in Surigao City, Pagasa will downgrade it into a low pressure area (LPA).
But it is also possible that it will regain strength at the sea in between Surigao and Bohol. And if weakened when it hits Bohol, it may regain strength at the sea between Bohol and Cebu.
The Cebu Port Authority (CPA) reported that a total of 897 passengers, 102 vessels and three motorbancas were stranded in different ports of Cebu yesterday.
Capt. Gimbi P. Tiongzon, the CPA harbor control center, said all units of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) were advised to ensure strict implementation of PCG Memorandum Circular 12-13.
The circular is the guidelines on the movement of vessels during bad weather.
The circular provides that no vessels shall be allowed to sail during tropical cyclone warning Sig-
nal No. 1.
The vessels, which are now grounded at various Cebu ports, are supposedly bound for Bohol, Leyte, Dapitan City, Surigao, Cagayan de Oro, and other shipping routes.
Docked for safety at Aduana (or Pier 1) are Mv Oceanjet 188, Mv Lite Ferry 12, Mv Lite Ferry 20, Mv Lite Ferry 26, Mv Filipinas Dumaguete, Mv Lite Ferry 7, Mv Filipinas Maasin, Mv Light Ferry 8, Lite Ferry 16 and LCT 868.
The other vessels which were not allowed to sail were docked in Bato, Santander; Danao City; Toledo City; Hagnaya in San Remegio; Argao, Cebu’ Tudela, Camotes; Mandaue City; Pier 3 and Pier 4; Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island; Naga, Cebu’ and Tangil, Dumanjug.
PRO 7
Police Regional Office Central Visayas Director Noli Taliño said they are prepared for tropical depression Marce.
Taliño said they are coordinating with the Office of the Civil Defense and he instructed the lower units to prepare the equipment for search and rescue operations.
The police official said they will implement forced evacuation if the local government units will ask them to help in removing people from dangerous areas.
Province
The Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) is on protocol alert level Charlie, a preparation protocol done within 36 hours. This means that the office is currently on minimum critical preparation; on stand by and ready to deploy.
As of today, Cebu has a total 600 responders.
The PDRRMO is doing its best to coordinate with the LGU’s and private sector for the immediate information about the typhoon and call for action.
As of Nov. 21, 2016, the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) has 690 packs of food items ready to be distributed.
Although there are still a few LGU’s that are still in the process of organizing their disaster teams, the PDRRMO does not see this as a weakness because LGU’s in neighboring towns are also alert and ready to respond.
The PDRRMO claims that they are better prepared now.
Private sectors have also signified their willingness to help.
Cebu PDRRMO Head Baltazar Tribunalo Jr. said they are in the process of a “telephone barrage” to strengthen their communication in other towns.