CEBU, Philippines — Weather in Cebu province is expected to improve in the next three days, as tropical depression Vinta is forecasted to leave the country by Christmas Day, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.
“Christmas is safe and spared from any disturbance,” said PAGASA – Cebu officer-in-charge Alfredo Quiblat, Jr.
Yesterday, Storm Warning No. 1 over the southern part of the province has been lifted.
It was feared that the center of Vinta will cross the vicinity of Cebu province, which will affect weather conditions during the holidays.
Quiblat said weather in Cebu will be fine on Christmas Day.
Clarifying terminology, Quiblat said fair weather is characterized by completely sunny days while fine weather is associated with sunny periods but with partly cloudy skies.
Quiblat, however, said there may also be isolated rains due to localized thunderstorm.
The weather bureau observed that Vinta weakened as it traverses landmass.
Vinta is the 22nd tropical cyclone to develop and enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Based from PAGASA’s 1948-2010 mean, an average of 20 tropical cyclones enter PAR but only 10 cross or affect the country.
Vinta formed from a Low Pressure Area that developed over the Pacific.
Even with the lifting of Storm Warning No. 1, PAGASA said the province may still experience rains ranging from light to moderate with mostly cloudy skies today.
Tomorrow, light rains may occur with cloudy skies but there may be sunny periods later in the day.
Effects
At least 964 passengers were stranded at ports in Cebu after trips from the province were cancelled due to Tropical Storm Vinta.
Of the 954, at least 500 were stranded from Santander, 10 from Argao, 365 from Samboan, 30 from Oslob, and 60 from Dumanjug.
“Tanang mga byahe going to Negros, going to Bohol, basta naggikan sa Cebu kay cancelled,” said Baltazar Tribunalo Jr., chief of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
“Nanginahanglan sad og mga pagkaon ang mga strandees… nalipay ta nga ang Local Government Unit (LGU) sila maoy nisakop nila ngadto,” Tribunalo said.
Because of the rainy weather, tourism activities in the south were also cancelled.
“Gipang-cancel na. Katong canyoneering, gikan sa Alegria padung sa Badian, kato ato ‘Whale Shark Watching’ wala na pud ug uban pang mga outdoor nga tourism activities dinha sa Aguinid and Samboan,” Tribunalo said.
Areas in Alegria, Badian, and Barili are also being monitored.
At least six PDRRMO personnel have been deployed to the southern part of the province for monitoring, especially flood prone area, including Carcar, Sibonga, Argao, Malabuyoc, Barili, and certain areas in Alegria and Badian.
Response teams are also on standby for any eventuality.
“Ang nakanindot kay naa na ta’y mga standby nga mga response teams nga naa na didto sa per Local Government Unit,” Tribunalo said.
The office has provided a backhoe to Boljoon town, specifically to Barangay Becerril, which is considered to be Vinta’s “area of interest.”
But Tribunalo said LGUs, specifically the barangays, should make the crucial decision to evacuate their residents when the need arises.
“Gidasig gyud nato ang munisipyo, ang mga barangay, nga kung kinahanglan na ang evacuation, sila gyud ang mo-implementar,” he said.
PDRRMO is also coordinating closely with the Cebu Electric Cooperative (CEBECO), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Philippine National Police (PNP).
Incident
Yesterday, a pump-boat from Negros Oriental experienced technical difficulties while navigating the waters between Ronda and Negros Oriental.
The disaster team of Ronda received the report of a pumpboat seeking refuge at past 9 a.m. yesterday.
“Padulong na sila sa Ronda pero ilang gibalik sa Negros ang pumpboat nga kuyog. Nagpadulong sila sa Negros nabalian sila og katig,” said Gerard Anthony Aguaviva, the disaster officer of Ronda.
At past 11 a.m. yesterday, the two pump- boats carrying 15 people, including a child, docked safely at the Ronda Wharf.
Aguaviva said it was curious that the pumpboats were allowed to sail despite the cancellation of sea travels because of Vinta.
Police
Meanwhile, the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) has activated its search and rescue teams in preparation for Vinta.
Yesterday, Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino directed all provincial and city police stations to be on alert so as to immediately respond to disaster-prone areas.
“I directed to activate our Search And Rescue (SAR) team of the PRO-7 and all the provincial and city police stations to have their SAR team on call and ready in case the local government will ask assistance. Every police station has a designated search and rescue team,” Espino said.
Like PDRRMO, the police are also monitoring the LGUs closely.
“Every police station is monitoring the situation sa area nila. With the help din ng disaster, we are closely coordinating with each other on those areas na possible affected ng area,” Espino said.
He said the police are ready to assist evacuation proceedings.
“If the provincial and city disaster risk reduction management councils will say that the people must be evacuated then we will help in the implementation,” Espino said.
Cebu City
In Cebu City, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said the city is ready to evacuate those living along rivers and creeks if the need arises.
“If you’re not living beside the creeks you’re okay. You’re living beside the creek like Mabolo or something like that… Sapangdaku… that’s dangerous but you don’t have to stop classes all over because there’s a typhoon,” he said.
Osmeña said what the public needs to remember during a typhoon is to store the basic necessity, which is water.
“It’s so hard to live without water, you know it’s so hard to give so many instructions because no one will remember anything anymore, so you just give one save water,” he added.
Aside from water, he also urged residents here to buy flashlights, batteries, and food, among others.
Naga situation
In Naga City, a portion of a road that traverses Barangay Alpaco and Tagjaguimit collapsed due to continuous rains caused by Vinta.
The city’s disaster team head, Councilor Carmelino Cruz, said no one was injured when the portion of the road caved in early morning yesterday.
“Hinay-hinay lang palihug sa pagpadagan sa mga sakyanan ug motor samtang buhatan og dinalian nga paagi aron adunay mas luwas nga agianan dinhang dapita,” he urged motorists.
He said fixing the road will be one of the city’s priorities next year.
Naga had to move its 10th Dagitab Festival to December 27 due to bad weather.
City Administrator Arthur Villamor said Mayor Kristine Chiong decided to postpone the event so as not to compromise the safety of the performers who will be composed mostly of students, as well as that of the spectators.
For the past years, the festival was held evening on December 23.
Nine contingents are participating this year from Balirong National High School (NHS), Naga NHS, Uling NHS, Pangdan NHS, Cebu Technological University, Academia ni San Pedro Calungsod, Tuyan NHS and Inayagan NHS. — with Le Phyllis F. Antojado, and Edsel Dennis G. Torregosa, Ashlee Love A. Marzon