Rolly enters PAR, may intensify into typhoon

MANILA, Philippines — Severe Tropical Storm Rolly, which entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) last night, may intensify into a typhoon before making landfall in either Aurora or Quezon province this weekend, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Rolly (international name Goni) intensified into a severe tropical storm after entering Philippine jurisdiction at 5:30 p.m. and was forecast to further intensify into a typhoon before making landfall Sunday or Monday.

Current projections show it will pass through Central Luzon before exiting landmass on the West Philippine Sea by Tuesday afternoon.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, it was spotted at 1,505 km east of Central Luzon with maximum winds of 110 kilometers per hour and gusts of 135 kph.

Rolly is moving westward towards the country at 15 kph and may bring heavy rains over the eastern sections of Central and Southern Luzon starting today or over the weekend.

PAGASA said tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 may already be raised over some provinces in the Bicol region and Northern Samar tonight, areas still reeling from typhoon Quinta that recently hit the country.

Today, Metro Manila and most parts of Luzon could see fair weather with isolated thunderstorms, before Rolly passes these areas over the weekend.

Gale warning is still up in the northern coastal areas of Batanes, Babuyan Islands and Ilocos Norte and Sur, as well as Cagayan.

PAGASA also said that the low-pressure area being monitored west of Mindanao intensified into a tropical depression and is likely to further intensify into a tropical storm when it enters Philippine area of responsibility by Monday or Tuesday next week.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr. yesterday said the government has about P800 million in contingency funds that are ready to be disposed to address the needs of provinces that might be adversely affected by the typhoon.

He added that the government has pre-positioned its resources to rescue and provide assistance to typhoon-affected areas.

Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista also gave assurance that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has standby funds and stockpiles worth P898 million for mobilization even as they pursue relief operations for the thousands of families affected by Typhoon Quinta which has just exited the country.

In a virtual press conference yesterday afternoon, he said DSWD regional field offices (FOs) in localities that lie in the path of Rolly were already thick in preparations.

“There is a ready store of stockpiles and standby funds worth P898,082,474.79 in the FOs,” Bautista said in Filipino during the press briefing.

Bautista said that DSWD regional FOs affected by Quinta continue to help local government units with augmenting supply of food and non-food relief needed by the LGUs in the evacuation centers put up for the affected residents.

Meanwhile, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has issued an advisory banning fishing off Bicol peninsula as Tropical Depression Rolly continues to move toward the region.

At least three fishermen drowned while six others remain missing when Quinta hit the Bicol region.

“As part of the region’s preparedness measures for the tropical depression east of the Philippines… the ‘no sail’ policy for fisherfolks shall take effect,” said OCD Bicol director Claudio Yucot in an advisory.

Yucot said that banned to sail are fishermen using motorized boats (bancas) and large fishing vessels staying in the open sea for at least two or more days. He explained that the order aims to ensure no lives would be lost from the fishery sector as Rolly is expected to affect Bicol today.

“Fisherfolks may resume fishing upon lifting of gale warnings in respective seaboards and careful assessment of the local DRRM officers and local Coast Guard stations,” Yucot said.

Six fishermen from Catanduanes remained missing after Quinta hit Bicol last Sunday. Five persons also died while scores were injured across Bicol. – Christina Mendez, Rainier Allan Ronda, Cet Dematera

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