MANILA — Tropical depression Butchoy will bring heavy rains over parts of Luzon and Visayas on Friday, Independence Day, with various protests set despite coronavirus lockdowns, the state weather bureau said.

The second storm of 2020 made 2 landfalls in Quezon province on Thursday night and was spotted 50 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales at 7 a.m. Friday. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and 70 kph gusts, said PAGASA.

Butchoy will dump moderate to heavy with at times intense rains over Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, northern portion of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands, and Occidental Mindoro, said the weather agency.

Visayas, Caraga, Davao Region, and the rest of Luzon will experience light to moderate with at times heavy rains, it said.

These areas should be on the lookout for possible floods and landslides, said PAGASA.

It said signal number 1, where wind speeds of 30 to 60 kph may be experienced within 36 hours, remained hoisted over Zambales and the western portion of Pangasinan including Bolinao, Anda, Bani, Agno, Alaminos City, Burgos, Dasol, Mabini, Sual, Labrador, and Infanta.

Butchoy will leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday morning, PAGASA said.

The storm trudged through Luzon as authorities examined whether or not the lockdown of Metro Manila, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, could be downgraded further on June 16.

Metro Manila and other urban centers were placed under GCQ or general community quarantine on June 1 after 11 weeks under a stricter ECQ or enhanced community quarantine. The quarantine classifications will expire on June 15.

Typhoon Ambo tested the country's coronavirus protocols in May when tens of thousands fled their homes and were required to observe social distancing in shelters.

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