MANILA, Philippines – Fearing a second disaster after the worst flooding in four decades swamped the homes of more than 2 million people last weekend, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo yesterday ordered the evacuation of coastal towns and other areas in the direct path of a looming typhoon, “Pepeng.”

Disaster officials said evacuations have begun in low-lying and mountainous villages in several provinces north and east of Manila, and officials were poised to relocate other communities in Pepeng’s path, once that became clearer yesterday.

Ms Arroyo did not specify how many people would be evacuated or what would be done to those who resist being moved.

But Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. warned stubborn residents in critical areas not to expect to be rescued when Pepeng strikes, stressing that the government would give priority to providing relief to people who have chosen to relocate to evacuation centers.

The President said she had called the governors of six Luzon provinces—Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Isabela, Cagayan, Quezon and Aurora—in the path of the approaching typhoon and ordered them to carry out a “preemptive evacuation” of low-lying and coastal areas that might be hit by torrential rain.

As of last night, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) has evacuated 33,230 people in various regions in a preemptive operation before Pepeng hits the country.

They included 2,497 people evacuated in Cagayan Valley, 36,485 evacuated in Central Luzon, 4,661 in Calabarzon, and 19,587 in Bicol. Evacuations were still going on.

Preventive evacuation

“We need that preventive evacuation,” she said in a nationally televised conference with government officials held to discuss the preparations for Pepeng and relief efforts for last weekend’s killer storm.

“We pray that the storm will not hit us and be grateful if it does not,” the President said.

“A rescue operation would entail the need to divert resources intended for relief so a person who did not follow evacuation orders must not hope that the government would sacrifice feeding of people in evacuation centers just to bring him food and water,” Teodoro said at a press briefing yesterday.

Teodoro, who also heads the NDCC, has placed the military and police on alert and ordered civilian agencies to stockpile food, water, medicine, fuel and other relief supplies.

‘Don’t go home’

Refugees from tropical storm “Ondoy” were asked to halt any plans to return home and stay in shelters.

Some 300,000 people have returned to their homes from shelters in schools and other places, though about 400,000 are still housed there, said Glenn Rabonza, NDCC executive officer.

“We’re concerned about the effects of more rain on the relief work in flooded areas because the water level could rise again,” said Teodoro.

The President asked the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) to update local officials regarding water releases from the dams so that people would be better prepared.

The prospect of another storm was daunting for many flood survivors.

“We’ve been hit so hard. The situation now is just so difficult, and I don’t know if we can take another calamity,” said Glen Juban, whose 4-year-old daughter was swept away by floodwaters and drowned in Saturday’s deluge.

Local authorities

In some parts of the Metro Manila area a few hundred kilometers to the south, local authorities were ordering residents to be evacuated for fear that Pepeng would worsen flooding left behind by Saturday’s Ondoy.

“I ordered this morning the evacuation of people in flood-stricken areas ... thousands have already transferred to public schools and my own rice milling compound,” said Calixto R. Cataquiz, mayor of San Pedro, Laguna.

Close to 50,000 residents of Albay province, which is threatened by floods and lahar flows, have already been evacuated since Thursday, provincial officials said.

Stockpiling relief goods

Social Welfare Secretary Esperanza Cabral said the stockpiling of relief goods in anticipation of Pepeng is under way and would continue with the assistance being given to the victims of Ondoy.

“We are working 24 hours to improve our stockpile of relief goods,” said Cabral.

The relief goods, consisting of rice, canned goods, noodles and non-food items, are stored at the DSWD’s National Relief Operations Center warehouse in Pasay City.

Cabral said she could not hazard a guess on how long the DSWD’s supply of relief goods would last.

“It’s very difficult to estimate. We have a moving target of victims. Every day, the number of those in need of relief goods changes. There are days when they [the number of victims] go down. Sometimes they increase,” Cabral said.

House-to-house distribution

She said the DSWD began last Thursday a house-to-house distribution of relief goods on instructions of the President.

But there were “logistical problems” with this system because some of the areas remain flooded, she said.

The President also reminded the local officials of Metro Manila and Rizal provinces, whose areas are still under floodwaters brought by Ondoy last week, to take precautionary measures.

She ordered the Department of Public Works and Highways to act double time in clearing debris and obstructions and streets and waterways.

Ondoy brought the worst flooding in more than 40 years to Metro Manila and surrounding areas, leaving 293 dead. Five days later, floodwaters still have not receded in many areas.

Communications

Anticipating power and communication outages in northern Luzon and in parts of Metro Manila, officials have also prepared backup measures for communication, Teodoro said.

He said local disaster officials have been provided with very high frequency (VHF) radios by the National Telecommunications Commission to ensure free flow of information if there is power failure.

The Manila Electric Co. yesterday dispelled rumors circulating in the Internet and via text messages that the distribution utility would shut off power Friday night in anticipation of Pepeng.

Meralco crew ready

“Meralco will only cut off power if the situation calls for it and will put its customers in dire danger,” the company said in a statement.

Meralco explained that Meralco had cut off power to areas affected by Ondoy to prevent accidents.

In preparation for Pepeng, Meralco said it has put the company on alert with its crews ready for deployment to respond to any contingency.

Teodoro advised residents to always tune in to radio or television to verify news spreading in text messages.

The Commission on Higher Education ordered the suspension of classes in colleges and universities in seven regions, starting at noon yesterday.

Classes in colleges and universities in Metro Manila, Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, Bicol and the Cordillera Administrative Region have been suspended until today.

Classes resumption, suspension

Executive Director Julito Vitriolo said the CHEd would decide today if classes would resume on Monday.

Meanwhile, elementary and high school classes that were suspended because of Ondoy will resume on Monday, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said.

However, classes will remain suspended in areas still under water and in schools still being used as evacuation centers.

The resumption of classes will also depend on the effects of Pepeng, Lapus said.

Lapus appealed to local government officials to first tap stadiums and sports complexes as evacuation centers before considering public schools.

Heavy equipment

The Department of Public Works and Highways has placed heavy equipment, totaling 48 pieces, on standby in critical areas and advised motorists to steer clear of roads prone to landslides.

Public Works Secretary Hermogenes Ebdane Jr. said emergency equipment and maintenance crew have been deployed on critical sections of the Daang Maharlika and Manila North Road, the highway that stretches from Caloocan City to La Union.

He said DPWH efforts were focusing on the landslide- and flood-prone areas of the Cagayan Valley region.

24-hour monitoring

Ebdane also instructed DPWH regional offices in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon regions and the Cordillera Administrative Region and the department’s maintenance office to conduct a 24-hour monitoring status of major roads.

The Light Rail Transport Authority said it had additional personnel reporting for work since Thursday night in case scheduled personnel fail to show up. Reports from Jocelyn Uy, TJ Burgonio, Riza T. Olchondra, Kristine L. Alave, Amy R. Remo, Nikko Dizon, Edson C. Tandoc Jr., PDI Southern Luzon with AP and AFP