By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz Typhoon “Wutip” has slightly weakened but has maintained its track and may still enter the Philippine area of responsibility this Thursday. Before Tuesday noon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the location of Wutip at 1,970 kilometers (km) east of Central Luzon or outside the PAR. It continues to move slowly north, on track towards the eastern boundary of the country’s area of responsibility. PAGASA said Wutip has slightly weakened with maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 225 kph. It may further weaken while off the Pacific coast. Once it enters the PAR, PAGASA said Wutip will be given a local name “Betty,” the first tropical cyclone this February and second this year. However, the weather bureau noted that the typhoon does not pose a direct threat to any part of the Philippines as it is not seen to make landfall. The northeast monsoon or amihan remains the prevailing weather system across the whole country. Batanes, Cagayan, Aurora, Isabela, Quezon, Albay, Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Sorsogon, and Masbate will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains. Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy skies.