Typhoon Marce is moving west southwestward at 20 km/h and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this afternoon or evening. DOST PAGASA HIMAWARI.

MANILA — No more areas were placed under Signal no. 3 as Typhoon Marce continued to weaken and moved further away from land on Friday, the state weather bureau said.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Marce was last seen 165 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte, packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour near the center and up to 170 kph gusts.

PAGASA said the typhoon was moving west southwestward at 20 kph and could leave the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Friday afternoon or evening.

Philippines cleans up after typhoon Marce slams north coast

The following areas remained under Signal no. 2. 

- Northwestern portion of mainland Cagayan (Claveria, Santa Praxedes)
- Western portion of Apayao (Calanasan, Kabugao)
- Abra
- Ilocos Norte
- Northern portion of Ilocos Sur (Magsingal, San Esteban, Banayoyo, Burgos, City of Candon, Santiago, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Lidlidda, Nagbukel, Sinait, San Ildefonso, Galimuyod, City of Vigan, San Emilio, Cabugao, Caoayan, San Juan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Narvacan, Salcedo, Santa Lucia)

Meanwhile, Signal no. 1 was hoisted over the following areas. 

- Batanes
- Babuyan Islands
- The rest of mainland Cagayan
- Northern and western portions of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Alicia, San Mateo, Aurora, Santa Maria, Quezon, Ramon, Naguilian, Roxas, Luna, Delfin Albano, City of Cauayan, San Pablo, Ilagan City, Angadanan, Benito Soliven, City of Santiago, Tumauini, Cabagan, Reina Mercedes, San Manuel, Cabatuan, Quirino, Gamu, San Isidro, Mallig, Cordon, Maconacon, Burgos)
- Northern and western portions of Nueva Vizcaya (Diadi, Bagabag, Ambaguio, Villaverde, Bayombong, Solano, Quezon, Bambang, Kayapa, Santa Fe, Aritao)
- Northwestern portion of Quirino (Diffun, Saguday)
- The rest of Apayao
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- The rest of Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Northern and central portions of Pangasinan (Bani, Bolinao, Anda, City of Alaminos, Agno, Sual, Labrador, Burgos, Mabini, Lingayen, Binmaley, Dagupan City, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Pozorrubio, Sison, San Manuel, San Nicolas, Tayug, Santa Maria, Binalonan, Asingan, Laoac, Manaoag, Mapandan, Santa Barbara, Calasiao, City of Urdaneta, Basista, Villasis, Malasiqui, Urbiztondo, Aguilar, Santo Tomas, San Carlos City, Bugallon, Infanta, Dasol)

Nearly 10,800 families had been severely affected by Marce in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley and the Cordilleras, the Office of Civil Defense said, citing initial reports.

“That would translate to about 32,138 persons. And as I mentioned, inside the evacuation centers, totally 17,019 persons or 2,059 families,” OCD Spokesperson Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said in a Palace briefing.

Nepomuceno said the OCD had yet to release figures on the number of casualties and the extent of damage on infrastructure and agriculture, but initial reports showed that several roads and bridges were not passable in the three regions. 

“We expect a lot of damages, dahil itong Bagyong Marce, talagang hangin iyong ano eh, napakalakas… According to the reports from the field, from Ilocos Norte and in Cagayan, lalo na sa Apayao, napakalakas noong hangin simula kagabi. So, we expect heavily damaged structures,” he said.

The government will respond to the needs of the affected residents and agencies have prepositioned food and non-food items in affected areas, the official said. 

Another low pressure area may enter PAR on Friday evening or on Saturday morning. It has a low chance of developing into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours. — With a report from Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News