Marcos orders creation of storm surge risk maps amid typhoons 

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Friday ordered the creation of storm surge risk maps to help affected local government units prepare during inclement weather conditions such as typhoons. 

“The only way to battle a storm surge is to go up... or kailangan umalis sa area na ‘yun (or you need to get out of that place)... Can we generate that map as soon as possible so we can allow the DILG to warn those areas that there is a storm surge,” the chief executive said in a situation briefing with other government agencies. 

“If it is a three-meter storm surge, we have to get people at least five meters above that level,” Marcos added. 

According to the state weather bureau PAGASA, a moderate to high risk of storm surge may occur in the 48 hours in several areas due to Tropical Cyclone Pepito.

PAGASA warned that the following provinces may experience 2.1 meters to 3 meters of storm surges: Quezon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar. 

Several regions in Luzon and Visayas were already told to pre-emptively evacuate their residents starting Friday due to the threat by Pepito, which may reach a super typhoon category. 

“If we are talking about 3 meters, that’s almost one floor. So kailangan natin abisuhan ang mga LGUs na nakikita natin na maabutan ng storm surge. We have very little time to do it,” said Marcos in a chance interview with reporters. 

(If we are talking about 3 meters, that’s almost one floor. So we need to advise the LGUs who will be affected by the storm surge. We have very little time to do it.) 

The Department of the Interior and Local Government said it would advise at-risk localities to conduct a mandatory pre-emptive evacuation. 

Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said that there are around 200,000 families living in coastal barangays who could be affected by the storm surges. But he noted that there are evacuation points that are at least 5 meters above. 

“Lahat ng mga coastal barangay ay may evacuation points na pataas,” he told reporters. 

(All coastal barangays have evacuation points in high places.) 

He added that the police would assist in the evacuation of affected residents to avoid looting in abandoned houses. 

“Ang lagi kasing kinakatakutan ng mga may bahay dito ay yung mananakawan sila. So kasama dito ang PNP para hindi magkanakawan,” said Remulla. 

(Some residents are afraid to leave their homes because of possible looting. But the PNP will help us to avoid incidents of looting.)—LDF, GMA Integrated News