Glenda hits Bicol, heads for MM

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon Glenda made landfall over Rapu-Rapu Island in Albay at 5 p.m. yesterday, although it was earlier forecast to hit Legazpi City.

Glenda was expected to cross Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, Quezon, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga and Zambales.

Residents of Metro Manila and nearby provinces are advised to brace for strong winds and intense rains as Glenda passes near the capital this morning.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) raised storm warning signal no. 2 over Metro Manila as of 4 p.m. yesterday.

PAGASA senior weather forecaster Jori Loiz warned residents in areas under signal no. 3 and 2 to watch out for storm surges up to three meters high.

Glenda was not expected to be as strong as Typhoon Milenyo, which hit the metropolis in 2006, according to PAGASA deputy administrator Landrico Dalida.

As of 4 p.m., the eye of the typhoon was at 60 kilometers east of Legazpi City, with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour near center and gusts of up to 160 kph.

Glenda is expected to move west northwest at 19 kph.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, storm signal no. 3 was hoisted over Albay, Batangas, Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Laguna, Marinduque, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, Northern Samar, northern part of Samar, northern part of eastern Samar, Quezon including Polillo Island, Rizal and Sorsogon.

Aside from Metro Manila, placed under signal no. 2 were southern Aurora, Bataan, Biliran, Bulacan, Cavite, Lubang Island, Nueva Ecija, Oriental Mindoro, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Romblon, Tarlac, Zambales and the rest of Samar, the rest of eastern Samar and northern part of Leyte.

Signal no. 1 was up in northern Aurora, Benguet, Camotes Island, northern Cebu including Cebu City, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Occidental Mindoro, Quirino and the rest of Leyte and southern Leyte.

Glenda was forecast to be at 370 km west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur by tomorrow, or outside the Philippine area of responsibility by tomorrow afternoon.

Noy meets disaster officials

President Aquino met with disaster officials yesterday at Camp Aguinaldo as Glenda pummeled the Bicol region.

Aquino and his party proceeded to the conference room of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council where NDRRMC personnel briefed him on the situation on the ground.

Journalists were not allowed to cover the meeting.

“We have to make sure that the people who need this information – so that they can take the correct actions – really understand all the information being given… We should know everybody who is our partner in alleviating the situation,” Aquino said.

“I reiterate, the objective has to be: minimize the casualties and the hardship of our people… There is a choice. Let’s choose where the people become most safe rather than hope they are safe.”

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the government has mobilized the regional and local disaster risk reduction management units to ensure the safety of everyone, particularly those living near or within the danger zones.

Lightning kills woman, son

In Batangas, a woman and her son died when lightning hit them as they were walking in the rain induced by Glenda Monday afternoon in Nasugbu town.

Mercedes Grumal, 45, and her son Anthony, 18, were on their way home from gathering feed for their cattle when the incident occurred at around 4 p.m. in Barangay Pantalan, Superintendent Marlowe Torina, chief of the Nasugbu police, told The STAR.

The victims were declared dead on arrival at the Jabez Medical Center.

3 fisherman missing

Three fishermen from Catanduanes failed to return home yesterday, a day after they went fishing despite government warnings on Typhoon Glenda.

The Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Bicol identified the missing as Romel Villarba, 26; Jojo Idusora, 28 and Sylvio Idusora, 30, all of Barangay Cagdarao, Panganiban town.

The three reportedly went out to fish on Monday.

In Albay, five fishermen, also from Catanduanes, were lucky to reach the shores of Tiwi town at the height of the storm yesterday.

Albert Tablezo, Gilberto Quinones, Jesus Manibale Jr., Roberto Tesorero and Romeo Romero are currently under the custody of the local government.

14 rescued off Masbate

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday afternoon rescued 13 passengers and the captain of a motorized boat that developed engine trouble while sailing off Masbate.

The PCG said Stevan Cabahug and the passengers were on board M/B Mabie that departed Aroroy town for Masbate City Monday.

Members of PCG-Masbate search and rescue team towed the boat to Baleno town with all passengers in safe condition.

Flights cancelled

Seventy-three domestic and 30 international flights were cancelled as of 8 p.m. yesterday due to Glenda.

Flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) cancelled its flights from Incheon, South Korea; Singapore; Pusan, South Korea; Pudong, China and Hong Kong, the airport’s Media Affairs Division said. – With Aurea Calica, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Sheila Crisostomo, Evelyn Macairan, Christina Mendez, Ed Amoroso, Arnell Ozaeta, Jaime Laude,Rainier Allan Ronda, Rudy Santos, Ric Sapnu, Lalaine Jimenea, Roel Pareño, Francis Elevado, Jun Elias,

Iris Gonzales