NCR under signal no. 1; ‘Bebeng’ off to S. Luzon

Metro Manila was placed under Storm Signal No. 1 on Sunday afternoon as tropical storm “Bebeng" (international name: Aure) moves closer to the Quezon-Aurora area in southern Luzon. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), in its 5 p.m. update, said Bebeng was last spotted 70 kilometers north of Daet town in Camarines Norte. The storm maintained its strength, packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour near the center and a gustiness of up to 100 kilometers per hour (kph), according to the state weather bureau. Bebeng is moving northwest at 15 kph—a little slower compared to its 17 kph speed recorded at 11 a.m. when the storm made landfall over northern Catanduanes in the Bicol region. As this developed, President Benigno Aquino III ordered disaster officials to see to the needs of people who are affected by the rains and floods brought by the tropical storm. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Aquino, while attending the 18th ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, ordered Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin and Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman to prepare the evacuation centers and preposition goods in areas covered by Bebeng. Valte said the weather bureau has beefed up its monitoring system and is issuing hourly warnings to inform concerned people and government officials of the effects of Bebeng's landfall in the Philippines. She asked residents to follow the instructions of local officials to ensure their safety. She said national government is ready to give assistance to affected communities. Storm Signal No. 2 were hoisted over the following areas: * Isabela * Quirino * Aurora * Nueva Ecija * Northern Quezon * Polillo Island * Nueva Viscaya * Camarines Norte Aside from Metro Manila, the following areas were placed under Storm Signal No. 1: * Catanduanes * Albay * Burias Island * Camarines Sur * Southern Quezon * Marinduque * Batangas * Laguna * Cavite * Rizal * Bulacan * Bataan * Pampanga * Tarlac * Zambales * Pangasinan * La Union * Benguet * Ifugao * Mt. Province * Ilocos Sur * Kalinga * Cagayan PAGASA advised residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes in these areas to take necessary precautions against possible landslides and flashfloods. Residents of coastal areas were also told to be on alert for possible big waves and storm surges. — Andreo C. Calonzo/KBK, GMA News