Batangas Orders Forced Evacuation as Typhoon Pepito Approaches.

Batangas: The provincial government here is conducting preemptive and forced evacuation in areas with a high chance of experiencing severe danger due to the potential effects of Typhoon Pepito (international name Man-yi). In an interview on Saturday, Dr. Amor Banuelos Calayan, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said “they will be doing the forced evacuation today.” She said all those living in low-lying areas, especially around Taal Lake, have been advised to evacuate as soon as possible.

According to Philippines News Agency, the PDRRMO, citing the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), stated that heavy rainfall could generate volcanic sediment flows or lahars, and muddy stream flows or muddy run-off in rivers and drainage areas in Taal Volcano. Muddy and debris flows can recur on previously affected communities of Agoncillo, Laurel, and Talisay towns, it added.

In a separate interview, Cuenca Mayor Alex Magpantay reported that 26 families
, consisting of 85 individuals, have been evacuated from the coastal barangays of Calumayin and Don Juan, and transferred to the Bungahan Evacuation Center. He mentioned that the evacuation was conducted by the Cuenca Municipal Police Station, Bureau of Fire Protection, and Philippine Coast Guard.

Governor Hermilando Mandanas, who chairs the PDRRM Council, earlier issued Memorandum 06 directing the continuous implementation of Heightened Alert Emergency Preparedness and Response throughout the province. On heightened alert, the Emergency Operations Center has been directed to preemptively or forcibly evacuate communities, mobilize rapid deployment teams, and ensure the readiness of response facilities, among others.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has canceled all shipping line trips in the Port of Batangas. Pepito was last spotted 235 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar, packing maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 215 kph. It is moving northwestward at
25 kph. Batangas is among the areas placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1.