Marcos tells agencies to factor in climate change
Tropical cyclone “Emong” yesterday intensified into a typhoon while continuously moving slowly over the West Philippine Sea, causing authorities to preemptively suspend classes and work today, and President Marcos to call for a calamity response strategy that factors in climate change.
Yesterday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced the widespread suspension of classes in all education for both public and private schools, as well as work in government offices, up to Friday.
The suspension orders covered 34 provinces as well as the National Capital Region.
Meanwhile, the President urged the government to rethink its approach to disaster response, not as seasonal emergencies, but as a permanent threat that demands long-term adaptation.
In a statement following an emergency meeting with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) on Thursday, Mr. Marcos warned that the country can no longer afford to be surprised by extreme weather events.
“Let’s stop thinking, ‘what if there’s a storm?’ We know it’s coming. That is the fact of climate change,” he said.
“We can’t treat every typhoon like it’s a surprise disaster anymore. This is our climate now,” Mr. Marcos said.
The government, he added, must think in terms of adaptation: making evacuation centers, health services, education, and infrastructure resilient enough to withstand repeat weather events.
For her part, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman assured the public that the government has ample funds to address the needs of areas affected by recent floods and anticipated typhoons.
She said that the President has directed officials to provide immediate and essential support to those impacted by typhoons.
“In our national budget, we have funds set aside to respond during calamities or what we call the NDRRMF (National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund),” Pangandaman said.
Likewise, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has mobilized over P1.27 billion worth of assistance for farmers and fisherfolk affected by the series of storms.
The DA said it is delivering interventions to support agricultural recovery efforts in 10 hard-hit regions, including the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, and Soccsksargen.
Among the aid packages are P596.52 million worth of rice, corn, and vegetable seeds distributed by DA Regional Field Offices; 2,100 bags of rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) delivered to Palawan and Albay; and Quick Response Funds (QRF) for rehabilitation and recovery.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) has earmarked an initial P268 million to indemnify 45,980 insured farmers whose crops were damaged.
A total of 77 cities and municipalities across the Philippines have been placed under a state of calamity due to the combined impact of Tropical Cyclones Crising, Dante, Typhoon Emong, and the intensified Southwest Monsoon, locally known as Habagat.
They include Malabon, Quezon City, Marikina, Manila, and Las Piñas in Metro Manila.
As of Thursday afternoon, Typhoon ‘Emong’ was expected to pick up more strength before it slams into northern Luzon, even while it was holding steady over the sea west of Pangasinan, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
However, PAGASA said ‘Emong’ was starting to turn northeastward and was heading towards La Union or Ilocos, where it was forecast to make landfall today, the state weather bureau added.
The typhoon was expected to accelerate northeastward until it exits the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Saturday.
The center of the eye of “Emong” was estimated at 220 kilometers west southwest of Bacnotan, La Union, or 210 km west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan.
It was moving south southeastward slowly with maximum sustained winds of 120 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 150 km/h.
Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 3 was raised in the northern portion of Pangasinan (Anda, Bolinao, Bani) and the western portion of La Union (Luna, Balaoan, Bacnotan, San Juan, City of San Fernando, Bauang, Caba).
Signal no. 2 was hoisted over Ilocos Norte; Ilocos Sur; the rest of La Union; the western portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao, Calanasan); Abra, Kalinga; Mountain Province; Ifugao; Benguet; the central portion of Pangasinan (Agno, Burgos, Mabini, City of Alaminos, Sual, Labrador, Bugallon, Infanta, Dasol, Lingayen, Binmaley, Dagupan City, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Manaoag, Laoac, Binalonan, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Pozorrubio, Sison, San Fabian, San Jacinto), and the western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Kayapa, Santa Fe).
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm “Dante” maintained its strength while approaching the Ryukyu Islands.
It was expected to exit PAR yesterday.
