MANILA (3rd UPDATE) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday instructed local governments to prepare for potential rains and floods that super typhoon Mawar could unleash, while the disaster council assured the public that it was on standby.

Marcos said the government prepositioned relief goods in areas that might be affected by Mawar, mostly in northern Luzon.

But he noted that the state weather forecaster expected Mawar to enhance the habagat and bring rains to other areas, even if it was not projected to directly hit land.

"Kaya't (this is why) we have already warned the LGUs to prepare in case of heavy rains and flooding," Marcos said in a chance interview with reporters.

"We leave it to the LGUs right now to make the call kung ano ang gagawin nila. Pero nandito lang sinasabi namin the national government is here to assist. We are in constant contact with the local governments para makita natin what is the situation in their place," he added.

(We are telling them that the national government is here to assist. We are in constant contact with the local governments to see the situation in their place.)

• Super typhoon Mawar expected to further intensify

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said both manpower and relief assistance were ready for possible evacuations due to Mawar.

"Hindi pa rin natin dini-discount 'yung kaniyang lakas. Tayo pa rin ay patuloy na nagpi-prepare at maging handa sa kung ano man ang puwedeng mangyari," NDRRMC information officer Diego Mariano said.

"Ang ating mga rescuers, responders, at disaster workers gaya sa mga kawani ng AFP, PNP, PCG at BFP ay sila ay naka-alert at naka-standby po," he told ANC's "Headstart".

(We are not discounting its strength. We continue preparing for whatever may happen. Our rescuers, responders and disaster workers like the personnel of AFP, PNP, PCG and BFP are on alert and on standby.)

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'LISTEN'

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reminded Filipinos to "listen" to authorities to prevent casualties.

• Mawar slightly intensifies, may spawn floods, landslides in northern Luzon

"Listen to your government unit, kasi sila ang nakakaalam ng sitwasyon, wag tayo pasaway. 'Pag sinabi ng ating gobernador at mayor na mag-preemptive evacuation, mag-evacuate na tayo. Wag na tayo mag matigas pa," DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said.

In Cagayan, emergency personnel and equipment were deployed to 11 areas seen to bear the brunt of the storm, said the northern province's Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office officer-in-charge Ruelie Rapsing.

Authorities are also prepared to conduct preemptive evacuation and imposed a liquor ban to help prevent the intoxicated from drowning when floodwaters rise, Rapsing said.

"Sa lahat ng constituents dito natin sa Cagayan, nakaranas na ho tayo ng 2 malalakas na bagyo, ang Lawin at Ompong. Nag-landfall po ito. Pero itong paparating na super typhoon Mawar, hindi po ito magla-landfall sa atin. Bagama't hindi magla-landfall ito, maghanda pa rin tayo," Rapsing told ANC's "Rundown".

(To all our constituents here in Cagayan, we have experienced 2 strong storms, Lawin and Ompomg. These made landfall. The approaching super typhoon Mawar will not hit land, but we should still prepare.)

The Office of the Civil Defense will deploy to Cagayan 2 water filtration trucks, portable water filtration units, and communication systems, including satellite phones and a satellite internet.

Ivatans board up their windows and tie their roofs ahead of Mawar's onslaught. Photo courtesy of Jerrick Voltaire Acaya

Ivatans board up their windows and tie their roofs ahead of Mawar's onslaught. Photo courtesy of Jerrick Voltaire Acaya

Ivatans board up their windows and tie their roofs ahead of Mawar's onslaught. Photo courtesy of Jerrick Voltaire Acaya

Ivatans board up their windows and tie their roofs ahead of Mawar's onslaught. Photo courtesy of Jerrick Voltaire Acaya

The Batanes provincial government meanwhile urged residents to prepare their homes for the typhoon's onslaught, said local disaster management officer-in-charge Dan Esdicul.

Another northern province, Ilocos Norte, is preparing its evacuation centers and prepositioning relief goods, Governor Matthew Marcos Manotoc said.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police said it was ready to deploy around 22,000 personnel who have training in search and rescue operations.

The national government still has some P18.3 billion worth of calamity funds, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.

Government agencies may also tap the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund after an assessment and recommendation from the NDRRMC and approval from Marcos.

"Our government is prepared. We are ready to support all operations for disaster rescue and relief with the necessary budget. Identified frontline government agencies may mobilize their Quick Response Fund (QRF) allocated in their respective budgets," Pangandaman said in a statement.

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Mawar was last spotted 1,705 km east of southeastern Luzon at 10 a.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour near the center and 260 kph gusts, the state weather bureau said.

Moving west at 20 kph, Mawar may enter the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday night or Saturday morning.

From late Sunday or Monday, Mawar will bring heavy rains that could trigger flooding or landslides in northern Luzon, PAGASA said.

For more updates, visit the ABS-CBN Weather Center.

— With reports from Bianca Dava, Jervis Manahan, and Jeck Batallones, ABS-CBN News

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