Twelve fishermen were rescued by the authorities while five others were still missing in Samar province amid the onslaught of typhoon "Jolina," the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported Wednesday, Sept. 8.
NDRRMC Executive Director Ricardo Jalad said the fishermen were saved in various areas in Sto. Nino, Samar while search and rescue operations were on-going for the missing ones. Their identities have yet to be divulged as of writing.
The fishermen apparently sailed despite the warning or advisory released by local authorities not to venture at sea amid the inclement weather.
"Sila ay naabutan ng bagyo na nasa laot pa lamang (They were caughtin the middle of the storm while at sea)," Jalad said in a "Laging Handa" press briefing.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,753 families or 12,213 individuals were affected by the destruction of Jolina in Mimaropa which covers Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan (Region 4B); Bicol (Region 5); Western Visayas (Region 6), and Eastern Visayas (Region 8).
Of these, 2,543 families or 10,976 individuals were evacuated due to flooding, landslides, and other typhoon-related risks.
"Ang pinakamatinding epekto ni Jolina ay 'yong pagbuhos niya ng mabigat na pag-u-ulan (The biggest effect of Jolina is its dumping of heavy rains)," Jalad said.
The typhoon destroyed 24 houses in Uson, Masbate; La Castellana and Hinigaran towns in Negros Occidental. A flood-control wall was also damaged in La Castellana, Negros Occidental while seven areas were flooded in Eastern Visayas and Bicol.
Jalad reminded the local chief executives to implement precautionary measures to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 while they were evcauting the affected residents.
"Kinakailangang sundin ang ipinapatupad nating minimum public health standards. Kailangan hindi dikit-dikit ang ating kababayan dyan sa evacuation centers so ibig sabihin nyan gagamit sila ng mas maraming evacuation centers (They should obey the minimum public health standards. The people should not be squeezed in evacuation centers so that means more centers should be used)," he said.
Jalad suggested the use of schools, gymnasiums, multi-purpose halls, and other facilities as temporary shelters of displaced residents.
The NDRRMC executive urged the public to remain vigilant as officials were also monitoring the effects of another typhoon inside the Philippine Are of Responsibility (PAR) named "Kiko."
"Si bagyong Kiko ay nakikita natin na medyo norte ang kanyang track pero dahil nga dito kay bagyong Jolina maaring bumaba ang kanyang track so iyon ang ating paghahandaan pa rin (Typhoon Kiko might traverse a northern track but due to Jolina, it might go on a downward track so that's what we're preparing for)," he said.
As of 5 a.m. Wednesday, Jolina was located off Boac, Marinduque as it moved over Tayabas Bay-Verde Island passage area. Meanwhile, Kiko was moving west, southwestward over the Philippine Sea.