The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has called on all local government units (LGUs), particularly those along the projected path of Typhoon Uwan—which may intensify into a super typhoon—to carry out preemptive and preparatory measures to minimize its impact.
“We have (already) advised Northern Luzon, specifically Region II (Cagayan Valley), CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region, yung Region I (Ilocos Region) to prepare dahil hindi lang po hangin ang kalaban natin dito. Nandiyan po ang banta ng matinding pag-uulan and, of course, yung kasama nito yung mga storm surge dito sa mga coastal communities,” said OCD Deputy Administrator for Administration Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV in an online briefing.
He added that other regions being closely monitored include Region III (Central Luzon), Region IV-A (CALABARZON), and Region V (Bicol Region).
The OCD also warned that Uwan’s rain bands could reach Region VI (Western Visayas), Negros Island Region (NIR), Region VII (Central Visayas), and Region VIII (Eastern Visayas), areas still recovering from Typhoon Tino.
“We are preparing basically the entire Northern Luzon Island and Visayas for the possible impact nitong bagyong Uwan,” Alejandro said.
According to him, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), under the supervision of Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr., has already activated its Inter-Agency Coordinating Cell and continues to monitor developing scenarios.
With Typhoon Uwan’s wide radius of about 700 kilometers, Alejandro warned of possible massive flooding and landslides in high-risk zones.
“This severe weather will bring widespread impact or effect dito sa mga areas na dadaanan at kasama doon sa kanyang rain band. Our NDRRMC is in full force at naka-red alert na po kami starting today and we are urging our local government units to implement hanggang Sunday ang kani-kanilang mga preemptive evacuation, that includes mandatory and preemptive evacuations doon sa mga areas na talagang susceptible to floods and landslides,” he emphasized.