By: Jennifer P. Rendon and Emme Rose Santiagudo
Tourists and residents in Boracay Island will have to stay indoors as Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal Number 2 was hoisted over the province of Aklan.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Jonathan Pablito, Malay police chief, said strong waves, rough seas, and intermittent heavy rains compelled different government agencies to suspend boat travels in the area.
As of 12 p.m. of Dec. 3, 2019, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) cancelled trips of vessels and motorbanca from Caticlan Jetty Port to Batangas, Romblon, and Mindoro and Boracay Island.
But the Malay local government unit (LGU) announced that trips “may resume anytime when weather/sea condition becomes normal as may be declared by PAGASA and pursuant to HPCG Memorandum Circular 02-13 “Guidelines on movement of vessels during heavy weather” and Memorandum Circular 03-01 “Guidelines on movement of motorboats/vessels in the absence of weather bulletin in the locality.”
Malay LGU also advised seagoing riding public, coastal communities and fisherfolks to refrain from engaging in any sea/water-related activities to prevent untoward incidents.
Aklan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head Galo Ibardolaza said
that municipal DRRMO employees, police, and lifeguards were stationed at the beachfront of Boracay to ensure that no swimming activities will be conducted in the area.
“Baskog na ang balod and wala na sang water activities didto sa beach area and may gindeploy na kita didto na mga officers na magbantay sila didto,” he said in a phone interview on Tuesday.
Pablito said police personnel are also on the lookout at the beach area after the Malay Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office advised tourists that swimming is strictly prohibited due to the typhoon since yesterday.
As of Tuesday, Pablito said they have not implemented any forced evacuation in Boracay Island but there were families who were ordered to evacuate in mainland Malay.
According to Ibardolaza, the entire province was placed under the “Red Alert” status Monday afternoon since several municipalities are at risk of flooding due to Typhoon Tisoy.
“May mga representatives ang mga response clusters and ready for dispatch kun may need idispatch sa ground. Amo na status pero as of now, waay man ta emergency call,” he said.
The red alert status is raised in anticipation of an imminent emergency situation and requires response agency staffing in the operations center and immediate inter-agency coordination.
While there are still no threats of flooding, Ibardolaza said eight municipalities in the province are considered at risk of flooding.
“The number one hazard of Aklan is really flooding. Ini nga daan nga walo ka municipalities sang Libacao, Madalag, Banga, Kalibo, Numancia, Lezo, kag Malinao lapit sa Aklan River so considered-flood prone areas,” he said.
As of Tuesday, Ibardolaza said 193 residents from the coastal municipalities of Batan, Malay, Tangalan, and Altavas were evacuated to nearby and safer schools and barangay halls.
Late Tuesday morning, the Malay MDRRMO said that Boracay radar recorded 190mm of rainfall in a span of 3 hours or “equivalent to 11,970,000 liters of water.”
Orange rainfall warning was subsequently issued due to flood threatening on low-lying areas and near river channels.
Earlier, acting Mayor Frolibar S. Bautista already suspended government work in the LGU except for “departments whose functions involved frontline, vital, and basic services shall continue to render their services to the community.”
Aside from Aklan, Bago City has also been placed under red alert status, based on the situation report issued by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) on Tuesday Afternoon.
RDRRMC also reported that 39 families from the towns of Belison and Brgy. Semirara in Culasi, Antique and 677 families from Roxas, City in Capiz were evacuated to safer facilities.
Two houses were totally damaged while four were partially damaged in Antique as a result of coastal erosion due to high waves enhanced by high tide and Typhoon Tisoy, the report added.
Based on the afternoon advisory of PAGASA on Tuesday, Tisoy continues to weaken and is now off the coast of Occidental Mindoro.
Only portions of Northern Aklan, namely the towns of Malay, Buruanga, Nabas, Ibajay and northern Antique towns of Caluya, Libertad, and Pandan were areas in Western Visayas that has been placed under Storm Signal No. 1.
