'Pablo' threatens Bicol, S. Tagalog

MANILA, Philippines – Residents of the Bicol and Southern Tagalog regions should brace for moderate to heavy rains as tropical storm “Pablo” (international name Higos) is expected to make landfall in these areas today, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) warned.

Pagasa director Prisco Nilo said Pablo, with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour, slammed Eastern Samar yesterday afternoon, bringing “moderate to heavy” rains and “moderate to strong” winds in the province.

The tourism activities and Cabinet meeting that President Arroyo was scheduled to attend in Eastern Samar yesterday were canceled due to Pablo.

Classes were suspended in elementary and secondary levels in the entire region, Eastern Samar Gov. Ben Evardone told The STAR.

Mrs. Arroyo, however, proceeded to grace the 107th anniversary of the Balangiga Encounter in Balangiga town at noon, and was scheduled to attend a meeting of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council (RDCC) in Tacloban City immediately after.

“We cannot do otherwise because of bad weather, no choice but to cancel other activities. But despite the Cabinet meeting cancellation, we the local leaders of the province know about the president’s commitment to help us push through with our eco-tourism master development plan and that strategies to lift the island from long-standing economic depression will materialize as well,” Evardone said in a phone interview.

The President came from Northern Samar where she inaugurated various infrastructure projects and launched the school feeding program on Monday.

The Cabinet meeting was scheduled at 1:30 p.m. to be followed by an informal dinner with journalists covering the Palace.

Mrs. Arroyo was also supposed to ground break a farm-to-market road in Arteche town. All three events were cancelled.

It was not clear whether she was going to push through with her engagement in Bacolod City today.

Nilo said Central and Western Visayas and Cebu also experienced moderate to heavy rains yesterday.

Nilo said after hitting landmass in Eastern Samar, Pablo is likely to maintain its strength as it travels over bodies of water.

“Early Wednesday morning it will make landfall over the Bicol region,” Nilo said. “In the late afternoon it will likely hit Southern Tagalog provinces, specifically Batangas and Quezon, before exiting to Pangasinan towards South China Sea.”

Nilo said Pablo is likely to intensify into a typhoon over the waters of Pangasinan.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, storm signal no. 2 was hoisted over Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Albay, Masbate including Burias Island and Ticao Island, Samar provinces, and Leyte including Biliran Island.

Placed under signal no. 1 were the provinces of Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Marinduque, Romblon, Quezon including Polillo Island, Oriental Mindoro, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Southern Leyte, Capiz, Aklan, Northern Iloilo, Northern Negros, Northern Cebu and Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Dinagat Islands.

Nilo said Pablo would be felt in Metro Manila tonight or early tomorrow morning where moderate to heavy rains are expected to prevail.

Rains triggered by Pablo would also be experienced in Central and Southern Luzon, he said.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Pablo was spotted some 50 kilometers north northeast of Borongan, Eastern Samar, packing winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

Albay Gov. Joey Salceda has ordered local government units to prepare for Pablo, warning families living along river banks on possible flash floods.

Capt. Henry Caballero, Coast Guard district commander for Bicol, said some 1,783 passengers were already stranded in various ports in Bicol.

Pablo is forecast to move northwest at 17 kph, and is expected to be at 80 kms northwest of Pili, Camarines Sur this afternoon; at 80 kms north northwest of Dagupan tomorrow afternoon; and 270 kms northwest of Laoag City by Friday afternoon.

Nilo said Pablo is forecast to leave the country on Sunday.

Pablo is the 16th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year and the fourth this month.  –With Paolo Romero, Miriam Desacada, Celso Amo