Govt prepares for ‘Chedeng’

Malacañang on Sunday instructed the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and other agencies to be on alert for a tropical storm approaching the Philippines. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said PAGASA will be the key player as its advisories will determine where to focus preparations and preposition relief items. “Papasok pa lang sa Philippine area of responsibility and I expect PAGASA will advise as the storm progresses kung saan tayo dapat mag-preposition ng goods and precautions natin," Valte said on government-run dzRB radio. (The storm is approaching the Philippine area of responsibility and I expect PAGASA to issue advisories as the storm progresses on where we will preposition goods and precautions.) The storm, internationally codenamed “Songda," will be codenamed “Chedeng" once it enters Philippine territory. As of 10:30 a.m. Sunday, PAGASA said the cyclone is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility between Sunday night and early Monday. “We expect all the units, the usual units concerned, agencies natin to be on alert... kung may pangangailangan for evacuation (We expect all units concerned to be on alert if there is need for evacuation)," Valte said. She also said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will preposition relief goods in coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. But she said these agencies’ actions will still depend on PAGASA’s forecasts on which areas the storm will hit. “It’s a matter of coordination and pag-alerto sa posibleng daanan ng bagyo (It’s a matter of coordination on where the storm will hit)," she said. — KBK, GMA News