Military ready to deal with typhoon’s impact in Southern Luzon

LUCENA CITY – The Armed Forces of the Philippines – Southern Luzon Command (Solcom) on Monday said its forces are ready to launch relief, rescue and other operations required by residents in southern Luzon which is being threatened by Typhoon Tisoy (international name: Kammuri).

“Solcom is ready for Typhoon Tisoy’,” Lt. Colonel Dennis Cana, Solcom Public Information Officer told the Inquirer Monday morning.

He said the Philippine Army’s 9th Infantry Division covering the Bicol region has activated “Task Force Sagip” (TFS) headed by Brig. General Peale Jon Bondoc.

Cana said the TFS has been placed on standby to provide assistance to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Bicol.

The TFS is focused on the island of Catanduanes, Cana said.

The Army’s 2nd Infantry Division has tasked the 201st Infantry Brigade to prepare all Army units and equipment on standby and ready to be dispatched in Quezon’s Bondoc Peninsula.

The Army’s 2ID covers the Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quiezon (Calabarzon) region  and the island provinces of Mindoro Oriental, Mindoro Occidental, Marinduque, and Romblon.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 is now up over Catanduanes and parts of Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon as Typhoon Tisoy slightly intensified, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Monday morning.

Tisoy is expected to make landfall over Catanduanes or Albay between Monday night and early Tuesday morning.

From Monday afternoon to Tuesday noon, occasional heavy rains over Northern Samar, Romblon, Mindoro provinces, and the rest of Calabarzon is expected.

 GSG