Cyclone develops outside PAR

MANILA, Philippines — A tropical depression has developed outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

Based on the latest weather satellite data as of 4 p.m., the tropical depression was last located 1,885 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon. The system was packing winds of 45 km per hour and gusts of up to 55 kph while moving northward at 15 kph.

If it enters PAR, it will be given the local name Queenie and will be the first tropical cyclone to enter PAR this month and the 17th overall this year.

PAGASA said up to three tropical cyclones are projected to enter or develop inside PAR this month.

The trough of a low-pressure area will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Bohol and Davao Oriental.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms are expected in Occidental Mindoro and Palawan due to the southwest monsoon or habagat.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will also experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms.

3 million food packs ready

In preparation for the new weather disturbance, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has readied more than three million family food packs for local government units that may need assistance.

The stockpile includes more than 78,000 food packs at the Luzon Disaster Resource Center, around 220,000 at the Visayas Disaster Resource Center in Mandaue City, Cebu, and more than 150,000 at the Mindanao Disaster Resource Center in Butuan City.

The DSWD also has a quick response fund of more than P100 million to support ongoing and future disaster relief operations.

“Although DSWD continues to provide assistance to various localities affected by recent severe weather, the agency still has sufficient funds for disaster response operations throughout the year,” DSWD Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said.

The DSWD has, so far, already extended more than P2.6 billion worth of humanitarian aid to localities affected by the combined effects of the enhanced southwest monsoon and Tropical Cyclones Luis, Maymay, Neneng and Pilandok. — Daphne Galvez