PRESIDENT Aquino is continuously monitoring the impact of Tropical Storm Egay (international code name Linfa), even as the government strives to attain its zero-casualty target in the latest weather disturbance to hit the country.
This was reported over state-run radio early Sunday by Communications Secretary Herminio B. Coloma Jr.
Coloma added that concerned government agencies, led by Executive Director Alexander Pama of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), have also taken steps to ensure the safety of residents in the path of Egay that made landfall over the weekend.
Coloma said Mr. Aquino reiterated earlier Palace directives for the NDRRMC and other agencies to exert extra efforts to keep people out of harm’s way in areas affected by the typhoon.
In Filipino, Coloma urged government agencies to ensure the safety and welfare of citizens in areas affected by the storm. He added that the objective is still to have no casualty because of the storm.
Just before noon on Sunday, Coloma reported over government radio station that latest reports from the NDRRMC indicated that Typhoon Egay was monitored in the vicinity of Divilacan, Isabela, and was headed in the direction of Aparri, Cagayan; and Basco, Batanes.
“Nakataas pa rin ang Signal No. 2 sa mga lalawigan ng Kalinga Apayao, Isabela, Quirino, Hilagang Aurora, Cagayan, kabilang na ang mga kapuluan ng Babuyan at Calayan,” Coloma said.
State-run Philippines News Agency (PNA) reported late Sunday that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has prepositioned relief assistance in areas along the path of the storm in Northern Luzon.
Quoting Social Welfare Secretary Corazon J. Soliman, the PNA said the DSWD has prepositioned relief aid, which is consist of 288,540 food packs, as a ready augmentation to the assistance that will be distributed by the local government unit that may be affected by the weather disturbance.