”Concerned disaster agencies on standby 24/7”: Roque

October 31, 2020

The Palace is closely monitoring the movement of Typhoon ''Rolly'' which is forecast to pass the Bicol Region Sunday morning and bring heavy and intense rains over Metro Manila and other areas, according to the 5 pm bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

In a statement by Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque on Saturday, he said ''concerned disaster agencies of the government are now on standby 24/7'' as  ''Rolly'' maintained winds of up to 215 km/h and gusts of up to 265 km/h, as per the latest Pagasa report.

''There is a high risk of storm surge of more than 3.0 m over the northern coastal areas of Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Provinces, and Catanduanes; 2.1 to 3.0 m over the coastal areas of Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, the southeastern coastal area of Batangas and the southwestern coastal area of Quezon,'' said Pagasa.

'' Rolly'' was located at 345 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes as of 4 pm, said Pagasa.

''The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Operations Center is already on red alert status and is in close coordination with all regional disaster risk reduction and management councils and local government units that are in the track of the typhoon,'' said Roque.

''They have been conducting Pre-Disaster Risk Assessments to ensure that all local government units and communities are prepared for the possible impacts of the typhoon to landslide-, flood-, storm surge- and lahar flow- prone areas, '' he added.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), on the one hand, has stockpiles and standby funds amounting to more than P879 million, as of October 30 6 pm, for ready resource augmentation to local government units.

''We ask the public, especially the residents of potential areas that will be affected by the typhoon to stay calm yet vigilant, check the latest government weather advisory, listen to the radio or watch television for more information, secure their house and vehicle, and keep their family members and loved ones dry and safe,'' said Roque. DMS