Malacañang on Wednesday assured the public that government agencies are prepared for the possible impact of Tropical Cyclone Rosal, which is forecast to intensify into a super typhoon.
At a Palace press briefing, Presidential Communications Office (PCO) Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said concerned government agencies have coordinated their preparations and put precautionary measures in place to address the hazards associated with the approaching cyclone.
“Ang DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development), ang DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), ang DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources), lahat ng ahensiyang concerned, pati po ang DOH (Department of Health), handa po sila sa mga ganitong kondisyon at sitwasyon,” Castro said.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Rosal, with international name Champi, was last located 845 kilometers east of Northern Luzon as of 10 a.m. Monday, packing maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gusts of up to 265 km/h, making it the strongest tropical cyclone so far this year.
PAGASA forecast that Rosal would remain at super typhoon intensity within the next 24 hours before possibly weakening into a typhoon by Thursday afternoon.
The cyclone was expected to move northwestward over the Philippine Sea until Friday and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) late Friday or early Saturday.
Authorities urge residents, particularly those in areas likely to be affected, to remain vigilant as the government continues to monitor Rosal’s movement and intensity.
Meanwhile, Castro said Malacañang was reviewing a proposal from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to consider a heat index of 40 degrees Celsius as a possible basis for suspending work amid concerns over extreme heat associated with El Niño. | PND
