Typhoon ‘Ruby’ closes ports, cancels flights

Ports were shut across the Philippines on Friday, leaving thousands of travelers stranded, as Typhoon “Ruby” (international name: Hagupit) bore down on Eastern Visayas.

The Philippine Coast Guard suspended sea travel ahead of the typhoon’s arrival.

Domestic carriers Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific also canceled some of their flights to central and southern Philippines.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) also suspended travel by buses that take ferries to areas threatened by Ruby.

In an advisory issued Friday morning, the LTFRB said it had ordered bus companies with ferry routes to suspend their operations to Southern Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao.

LTFRB chair Winston Ginez said the order was issued to ensure “the safety of passengers, drivers [and] conductors” and “to avoid inconvenience” of getting stranded in the ports due to the typhoon.

The Philippine Navy on Friday ordered its naval operation support units (NOSU) to prepare for the onslaught of Ruby.

In a statement, the Navy said it was ready to help in the response to the typhoon.

“The Philippine Navy monitors the movement of Typhoon Ruby through its naval operations center (NOC), which is centrally accessible to its NOSUs in the affected areas,” it said. With a report from Jaymee T. Gamil

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