The Philippines is getting a taste of how climate change is affecting the world as Filipinos brace for Super Typhoon “Pepito”, the sixth storm to hit the country in less than a month, baffling even scientists and experts from the United States-based National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Administrator, Undersecretary Ariel Nepomuceno said what the country is experiencing – the successive formation of stronger typhoons striking the country within short intervals and warmer weather causing a rise in sea levels – is undeniably an effect of the climate change.
“No debate, this is an effect of climate change. We are in the middle of it all and climate change worsens the typhoons coming into our country. We have been hearing complaints from communities left and right that they were not affected by flooding before, now their communities are getting swamped,” Nepomuceno said in a media forum on Saturday, Nov. 16.
"In total, we are preparing for 10 million affected individuals. We need to prepare like that because that's where we will base how many family food packs, hygiene kits, and medical kits we will be distributing," he added.
The center of Pepito was located approximately 185 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar or 250 km east of Juban, Sorsogon as of 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
The OCD said that Pepito poses a “severe threat” to the Bicol Region (Region 5), packing maximum sustained winds of 185 km/hour and gusts reaching up to 230 km/hour. It was moving west northwest at 25 km/hour, with strong to typhoon-force winds extending up to 440 km from its center.
Potential life-threatening storm surges with peak heights exceeding three meters are expected in low-lying coastal areas particularly in the Ilocos Region (western coast), Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, and the northeastern coast of Leyte.
A landfall along the eastern coast of Quezon or Aurora cannot be ruled out on Sunday, Nov. 17.
In less than a month, the country had been ravaged by Typhoons Kristine which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Oct. 22; Leon on Oct. 27; Marce on Nov. 4; Nika on Nov. 9 and Ofel on Nov. 12.
Another typhoon, “Julian”, entered PAR on Sept. 27, only weeks before Kristine.
The successive typhoons have killed more than 160 individuals and caused billions worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure.
Citing the Japan Meteorological Agency, the NASA said in a report that it was the first time since records began in 1951 that so many storms co-existed in the Pacific basin near the Philippines in November, describing it as an “unusual sight.”
While government personnel in Eastern Visayas and Bicol have been alerted, Nepomuceno said state workers have also been mobilized in Calabarzon, the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon, Cagayan area, Ilocos, and Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
“President [Ferdinand] Bongbong Marcos Jr. and [Defense] Secretary Gilberto Teodoro directed us in the OCD to prepare for a worst-case scenario as Pepito nears. We all agreed that it is better to overprepare than to be lacking preparation,” Nepomuceno said.
Nepomuceno said 11,448 families or 35,335 individuals who had been evacuated due to the previous typhoons were directed to remain in shelters. An additional 14,366 families or 48,014 individuals were pre-emptively evacuated.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said at least 24 military aircraft are available for disaster response.
AFP chief, General Romeo Brawner Jr. said this includes three C-130s, one C-295 medium transport aircraft, one NC-212i light transport aircraft, seven Black Hawks, two Huey IIs, one Super Huey, and three W-3A Sokol helicopters -- all assigned in Luzon.
Meanwhile, six Black Hawks assigned to Visayas and Mindanao are also advised to be ready for dispatch once needed.
Five Philippine Navy ships and 129 rubber boats are also available for rescue and relief missions.