Some Cagayan evacuees not allowed to go back home yet due to Ofel

Some evacuees, particularly those in Cagayan, are not yet allowed to go back to their residences as there is still high risk for flash flood and landslides. 

''There is a high risk of landslide at pagbabaha, so 'yun nga po hindi pa pinababalik lalo na 'yung sa Cagayan River area (that's why they weren't allowed to return yet, especially those in Cagayan River area),'' Presidential Communications Office spokesperson for calamities and natural disasters Joey Villarama said in a briefing Tuesday. 

Villarama said the threat of Tropical Storm Ofel is also among the considerations on why the residents are not yet allowed to return to their homes. 

Office of Civil Defense Region II Director Leon Rafael said the risk of flash floods, especially during the evening, is also there. He said local government units are tasked to prioritize the welfare and safety of their constituents. 

Authorities are monitoring the situation in Cagayan River, according to Rafael.

''Sa ngayon aming binabantayan 'yung Cagayan River System at tumaas po 'yung level ng tubig dahil po sa matinding pagulan nitong nakaraang araw dulot ng Bagyong Nika,'' he said.

(At present we are monitoring the Cagayan River System because the water level rose due to torrential rains in the previous days brought by Nika.)

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. earlier said that the Quick Response Fund (QRF) had been used up, but assured the government has enough funds for the next calamities.

“Historically as early as October, sometimes September, yung calamity fund ng national at mga local nauubos na siya pero laging may pagkukunan ng pondo ang gobyerno at may assurance tayo from DBM na meron tayong sapat na pondo para sa mga susunod na kalamidad hanggang sa katapusan ng Disyembre,” said Presidential Communications Office acting Secretary Cesar Chavez on a "24 Oras" report by Ivan Mayrina on Tuesday.

Data from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) as of October 24 revealed that up to P30 billion QRF was allotted to different agencies that respond to calamities, but the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Fund, Contingent Fund, Unprogrammed Appropriations, and Local Government Support Fund were all readily available to replenish the QRF if necessary.

State weather bureau PAGASA said Ofel is forecast to move west northwestward until Thursday evening before turning northwestward to northward for the rest of the forecast period and may make landfall over Northern or Central Luzon on Thursday afternoon or evening.

Meanwhile, Severe Tropical Storm Nika will continue moving generally northwestward to westward over the West Philippine Sea and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility within the next 12 hours.

Weather bureau PAGASA said it was in close coordination with partner agencies to monitor the movements of the new tropical cyclones.

It said the move is in line with the directives of President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. for concerned government agencies to track typhoon directions and provide the public with timely information. —With Jiselle Anne Casucian/AOL/RSJ, GMA Integrated News