Authorities undertake preemptive evacuation in communities in Solana, Cagayan because of flood threat from typhoon Ofel. Office of Civil Defense-Region 2/handout

MANILA — Authorities prepared to evacuate residents and suspended travel in areas lying in the path of potentially destructive typhoon Pepito on Friday. 

Pepito is expected to reach super typhoon strength by Saturday. It may make landfall at peak intensity over eastern Bicol or Central Luzon this weekend, PAGASA said.

Pepito nears typhoon strength; Ofel weakens

Office of Civil Defense-Central Luzon information officer Liezel Cayanan said local governments in the region were directed to conduct evacuations ahead of Pepito.

"Ayaw nating mabulaga tayo sa dami ng ulan na dala po ng bagyong ito. So all areas po, pinapaalalahanan natin lalo na dito sa Central Luzon. Parang catch basin po tayo ng ulan from the north and ulan galing po sa Manila," she told Teleradyo Serbisyo.

In Camarines Sur, Governor Luigi Villafuerte ordered mandatory evacuation in high-risk areas and suspended classes at all levels in public and private schools in the province on Friday.

Calabarzon authorities were also monitoring vulnerable locations, said the region's disaster council Reyan Derick Marquez.

"Yung area ng Quezon at Batangas [ang babantayan], pero kung dadaan ng Rizal lalo na kung hagip, yung areas sa Central Luzon, Rizal at Quezon," he said, citing a report from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau. 

NASA: Philippines’ overlapping cyclones ‘unusual’

SUSPENDED TRIPS

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Thursday suspended all land travel by buses and trucks bound for Visayas and Mindanao via Matnog Port in Sorsogon and other areas in Bicol.

The Paranaque Integrated Terminal Exchange (PITX) said the following trips were also cancelled. 

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Meanwhile, Cebu Pacific suspended the following flights on Friday due to Pepito.

• DG 6839/6840: Manila – Siargao – Manila

• DG 6853/6854: Cebu – Siargao – Cebu

• DG 6855/6856: Cebu – Siargao – Cebu

• DG 6859/6860: Cebu – Siargao – Cebu

• DG 6901/6902: Cebu – Surigao – Cebu

"We anticipate disruption to our flight operations in the coming days," the carrier said, as it urged passengers not to proceed to the airport without confirmed bookings.

"We strongly urge our passengers to consider whether their journeys are essential and give serious consideration to rescheduling travel plans to a later date," Cebu Pacific added.

STORM SURGE

State weather bureau PAGASA warned that storm surges could inundate some low-lying areas in the next 48 hours. 

It said coastal waves two to three meters high could hit parts of Camarines Sur and Catanduanes. 

One to two meter high waves could also hit parts of Albay, Camarines Sur, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Samar, and Sorsogon.

PAGASA advised residents in affected areas to stay away from the beach, cancel marine activities, and monitor weather reports. 

DSWD FUNDS ON STANDBY

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said on Thursday it received an P875-million replenishment for its quick response fund that could be used for food packs, tents, hygiene kits and other aid for cyclone-hit areas.

The agency said it had stockpiled 420,000 family food packs in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, the Cordileras, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas.

From Kristine to Pepito: 6 cyclones batter PH one after another

Pepito is the Philippines' sixth cyclone in a month. 

The wave of disasters has already killed 159 people and  prompted the United Nations to request $32.9 million in aid for the worst-affected regions.

Pepito will follow a path similar to last month's Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, which accounted for most of the deaths tallied in the recent swarm of weather disasters.