More than 6,000 individuals were displaced by the combined effects of Tropical Depression "Kabayan" and shearline in Caraga (Region 13) as the bad weather forced the suspension of sea trips, affecting thousands of travelers going back home to the province for the Yuletide season.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Monday, Dec. 18, that a total of 2,190 families composed of 6,723 individuals from Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands were affected by Kabayan -- which made landfall in Manay, Davao Oriental on Monday morning -- and the prevailing shearline.
There were 2,072 families or 6,370 individuals who were forced to stay in 48 evacuation centers in Region 13 while 118 families or 353 individuals opted to stay at their relatives' or friends' homes.
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator Ariel Nepomuceno assured local government units (LGUs) affected by Kabayan that the national government was on board and ready to extend immediate assistance to them.
He said that as early as Sunday, Dec. 17, all the emergency preparedness and response (EPR) protocols were activated in different regions to ensure that all necessary measures are in place from the national down to the local level in anticipation of Kabayan's impact.
The protocols included the dissemination of early warnings, conduct of preemptive evacuation, advance augmentation of resources, and activation of response clusters among others.
"We are continuously monitoring the situation and coordinating with different agencies as well as with our regional counterparts on preparedness and response operations for ‘Kabayan.’ Appropriate protocols have been activated in different regions," Nepomuceno said.
The NDRRM Operations Center (NDRRMOC) also raised its alert status from Code "Blue" to "Red." This is the highest alert level during an emergency situation, requiring personnel from response agencies to render duty at the NDRRMOC for immediate interagency coordination.
The bad weather also forced the cancellation of several sea trips in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao for safety precaution, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
At the Manila North Port Passenger Terminal in Manila, a total of 5,400 passengers were stranded due to the cancellation of trips going to Cebu City, Butuan City, Tabilaran City, and Cagayan de Oro City.
PCG spokesperson Rear Adm. Armando Balilo visited the stranded passengers at the Manila North Port Passenger Terminal where he explained to them that some trips needed to be cancelled as the strong rains and big waves in their ports of destination may jeopardize passenger safety.
Further, there were 2,048 passengers, 41 vessels, and 462 rolling cargoes that got stranded in various ports in Central Visayas (Region 7), Eastern Visayas (Region 8), Northern Mindanao (Region 10), and Northeastern Mindanao, according to PCG.