Public urged to monitor typhoon developments

MANILA, Philippines - Monitor developments on Typhoon Ruby through the weather bureau and Project NOAH (National Operational Assessment of Hazards and Risks), Science Secretary Mario Montejo said yesterday.

Montejo said the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and Project NOAH are the most reliable source of information on the typhoon.

“The information of PAGASA becomes more reliable than those provided by its foreign counterparts because it is able to acquire more observational data from different field stations in the country,” he said in a statement sent to science journalists in Bulacan.

Project NOAH has seven components to address disaster situations, including hydrometeorology, flood and landslide monitoring, weather forecasting and storm surge inundation mapping. It has a website that provides the public with accurate and real-time weather information.

Montejo appealed to the public against sending prank alerts through text messages or social media. “If you find it fun, you should realize that the lives and properties of people to be affected by the typhoon are at stake here,” he said.

“It would help a lot if the people, including local government units, take the information we are providing seriously as they prepare. Let us take all the necessary precautions without having to panic,” he added.     

PAGASA deputy administrator Flaviana Hilario said the state weather bureau could acquire more data from its field stations compared to foreign agencies.

“In fact, foreign warnings agencies make use of PAGASA information once the weather disturbance gets within the range (400 kilometer radius) of our meteorological equipment such as radars and automatic weather station,” she said. 

Mines and Geosciences Bureau acting director Leo Jasareno issued geohazard advisories to municipalities to be hit by Ruby.

In a text message, Jasareno said precautions against geohazards such as landslides should be especially taken in Samar Island, northern Leyte, Sorsogon, Biliran, Masbate, Romblon, northern Panay, Mindoro, and northern Palawan. 

“Local government units were advised to initiate evacuation to safe sites from most hazardous areas,” said Jasareno.

Free mobile disaster alerts law

Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares called for the implementation of the Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Law as Ruby enters the country.

The Free Mobile Disaster Alerts Act requires all telecommunication companies to send text messages to its subscribers of an impending calamity, including the preparations, address of the nearest evacuation centers and location and schedule of relief distribution. 

“This law can save lives if it is implemented now,” Colmenares said.

Colmenares said the alerts should consist of up-to-date information from relevant agencies and sent directly to the mobile phone subscribers located near and within the affected areas.

Pray

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines president Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas and Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle urged the people to pray to keep everyone out of harm’s way.

“We have no one else to turn to but the Lord, ” Tagle said in an interview over the Church-run Radio Veritas.

The diocese of Borongan, Samar is also praying the Oratio imperata for the deliverance from calamities. The mandated prayers can be seen at http://veritas846.ph/oratio-imperata-patuloy-ng-ipinagdarasal-ng-diocese-of-borongan-kaugnay-ng-bagyong-ruby/

Open doors

Villegas also appealed to Catholic churches and schools to open their doors to refugees and those in need of shelter, particularly those already displaced by Yolanda. 

“I request only that evacuees remember the sacred character of the churches they occupy, should they do so,” said Villegas.

He said government officials and non-government organizations should start the preemptive evacuation of those staying in danger zones, saying “to wait any longer may be disastrous.”

Harvest maturing crops

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture (DA) urged farmers in the path of Ruby to harvest maturing crops before the storm makes landfall.

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said a total of 691,692 hectares of rice lands in the maturity stage and 303,542 hectares dedicated to corn also in maturity are at risk of destruction.  – With Rainier Allan Ronda, Paolo Romero, Rhodina Villanueva, Evelyn Macairan, Czeriza Valencia, Eva Visperas