Heavy rains forecast for Sona

MANILA, Philippines—Demonstrators for or against the President’s State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday are advised to bring umbrellas.

A low pressure area on Friday developed into a tropical depression, prompting the weather bureau to raise storm signals over parts of Northern Luzon.

The new tropical depression, named “Ferdie,” is expected to bring gusty winds to the northern provinces while inducing the southwest monsoon that could bring brief but heavy rains along the entire western section of the country, including Metro Manila, from Saturday up to Monday, when President Benigno Aquino III delivers his State of the Nation Address.

As Ferdie swirled closer to the northern tip of the archipelago, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) raised Storm Signal No. 1 over Isabela, Cagayan, including Calayan and Babuyan groups of islands, Batanes Group of Islands, Kalinga, Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Mt. Province.

The rainfall within its 400-kilometers radius is expect to be “heavy to intense” or about 10 millimeters to 25 millimeters, Pagasa warned.

“Areas under Signal No. 1 should expect moderate to heavy rainfall and gusty winds,” forecaster Fernando Cada said in an interview.

The depression was also forecast to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rain over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, especially the western section.

“The western section of Central and Southern Luzon will experience widespread rains, which can cause flash floods and landslides,” Cada said.

“Metro Manila will have cloudy skies with rain showers because of the enhanced southwest monsoon. These will be brief but heavy, and we would experience them until Monday,” Cada said.