MAWAR WATCH | Pagasa senior weather specialist Chris Perez gives an update on Typhoon Mawar on Wednesday, May 24 2023. It was downgraded from being a supertyphoon, but disaster responders and the general public were still advised to prepare. (Photo by GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines – The Office of Civil Defense said it is preparing for possible evacuations in the provinces of Cagayan and Batanes over the weekend in anticipation of Typhoon Mawar.
The typhoon would be closest to the country by Monday or early Tuesday based on the current forecast, OCD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV told reporters on Wednesday.
“We expect areas in Region 2 [Cagayan Valley] — particularly in Batanes and some parts of Cagayan, the coastal towns — to have the possibility of preemptive evacuation,” he told reporters.
Alejandro said they were monitoring the developments and have alerted local government units that could be affected by the typhoon, which will be given the local name “Betty” when it enters the Philippine area of responsibility.
“We have alerted Batanes, Cagayan in Region 2, as well as Bicol because it will affect coastal communities… the fisherfolk will be affected because we won’t allow them to sail,” he said.
As Mawar steadily moves closer to the Philippines, national disaster agencies and rescue offices on Wednesday advised the public to prepare for its anticipated onslaught this weekend.
The OCD and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council urged local governments of cities near coasts to gear up for possible impact.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said that “family food packs” will be distributed to affected regions, especially in the Ilocos and Cordillera regions.
In the seas, the Philippine Coast Guard imposed stricter inspection of boars and vessels to ensure the safety of crew and passengers.
Mawar has been downgraded to typhoon from supertyphoon on Wednesday morning, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
However, the state weather bureau does not rule out the possibility of the weather disturbance intensifying before it hits the country.