Typhoon Bising Enters PAR, Slightly Weakens

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said

the center of the eye of Typhoon Bising was estimated based on all available data at 405 kilometers north northwest of Itbayat, Batanes with a maximum sustained winds of 130 km per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 180 km/h.

In its update at 5 a.m. today, PAGASA said the southwest monsoon, not Bising, will bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas (especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to winds):

• Today (July 7): Ilocos Region, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Masbate, and Romblon
• Tuesday (July 8): Ilocos Region, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Quezon, Masbate, Romblon, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan.
• Wednesday (uly 9): Ilocos Region, Cagayan, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Quezon, Masbate, Romblon, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan.

Typhoon Bising entered the Philippine area of responsibility at 11:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 6, and made landfall over the southwestern portion of Taiwan at 11:50 p.m. Bising will continue moving generally northeastward while traversing the landmass of Taiwan. It will exit the northern boundary of the PAR this morning, PAGASA said.

On the forecast track, Bising will turn northwestward on Tuesday and will make another landfall over Eastern China. According to PAGASA, it will continue to weaken throughout the forecast period and will become a remnant low by Wednesday)as it moves over the landmass of Eastern China.

While outside the PAR, the typhoon’s trough and interaction with the southwest monsoon affected several areas in Luzon, bringing floods and landslides to the northern parts of the country.

On Friday, July 4, landslides in Virac, Catanduanes and Itogon, Benguet occurred due to heavy rains, forcing the evacuation of residents, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), which is leading a coordinated disaster response across northern and central Luzon, said on Sunday, July 6.

The OCD-Cordillera Administrative Region is working closely with the Itogon Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office of Benguet to assist affected families and manage clearing operations.

Of the affected households, five families are currently taking shelter at Acupan Elementary School in Virac serving as an evacuation center. Eight other families have been accommodated by relatives in nearby communities. The rest are staying temporarily with neighbors or friends while authorities monitor the situation.

Clearing efforts are ongoing, with responders focusing on removing debris and redirecting water pathways to prevent further landslides.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) delivered family food packs to 235 families affected by flooding in Narvacan, Ilocos Sur.

This response is part of a broader effort to support communities across Region I, Region III, and the Cordillera Administrative Region, where more than 3,700 families have been affected by the combined effects of intensified monsoon rains and the enhanced weather disturbance.

The OCD said this is the second landslide to hit Acupan in less than two weeks.

A previous incident on June 22 claimed the lives of three small-scale miners and displaced 44 families, prompting local officials to heighten monitoring and enforce preemptive evacuations in high-risk zones.

“Our priority is to protect lives and support affected communities during this critical period,” said OCD officer-in-charge Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV. “We call on residents in high-risk areas to remain alert, heed official advisories, and cooperate with authorities as we monitor developments and sustain our operations.”

Rains shut Mountain Province roads

Rains in the Mountain Province region have shut down several road systems, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said.

The Mountain Province Boundary-Calanan-Pinukpuk-Abbut Road in Kalinga was completely shut down from motorists on Sunday due to collapsing soil.

The DPWH has deployed heavy equipment and personnel for clearing operations, but no alternate route has become available yet.

Other roads in the Cordillera region are also affected.

In Benguet, the Gov. Bado Dangwa National Road in Datakan, Kapangan remains closed; in Mountain Province the Jct. Talubin-Barlig-Natonin-Paracelis-Calaccad Road in Amata, Poblacion Paracelis was closed for clearing.

Motorists can use the Tawang-Amolong Section as an alternate route; Legarda Road in Baguio City is single lane passable for light vehicles because of an ongoing road improvement project.

The OCD-Cordillera has issued warnings of possible floods in low-lying areas throughout the region. Continuous rainfall, they said, may cause rivers and their tributaries to swell and overflow in Abra (Upper Abra, Tineg, Ikmin), Apayao (Upper Abulug, Upper Pamplona), Benguet (Upper Bauang), Ifugao, Mountain Province and Kalinga.

According to DSWD-Region 1, all provinces in the Ilocos Region (Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur and Ilocos Norte) were placed on Blue Alert on Sunday.

Local government units (LGUs) in Ilocos Sur noted some 617 families (1,959 people) are already affected by the continuing rains.

At least 235 families (591 people) have been affected by rains in Barangays Nanguneg West, Narvacan and another 382 families (1,368 people) in Barangays Nagsayaoan and Suso in Sta. Maria.

The Salcedo-Sigay road and Barangay Nanguneg West in Ilocos Sur remain impassable. Zone 2, Barangay Linmasangan and Sitio Putrido, Barangay Balayang in Alaminos City, Pangasinan re-main impassable to all types of vehicles due to floods.

Authorities reported that no gates have been opened yet at the San Roque Dam in San Manuel, Pangasinan.

The DSWD-Region 1 said 72,269 family food packs are ready to be distributed, including 15,565 non-food items.

Rains in Luzon

Typhoon Danas will continue to bring rains with gusty winds in Batanes, while the Babuyan Islands will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

Occasional rains are also likely over the Ilocos Region, Zambales and Bataan due to the enhanced southwest monsoon. Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao and parts of Mindanao may experience scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

PAGASA warned of possible flash floods or landslides in areas with moderate to heavy rains, especially during severe thunderstorms.

In terms of coastal conditions, strong southwesterly winds are forecast over extreme Northern Luzon, with rough seas reaching wave heights of up to four meters. Moderate to strong winds will also affect the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon, causing moderate to rough sea conditions.

Coast Guard on alert

In a statement issued on Sunday, Philippine Coast Guard chief Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said they are coordinating with their counterpart government agencies 24/7, and observing the sea condition in areas affected by the southwest monsoon, particularly in Northeastern Luzon, Northwestern Luzon and Southern Tagalog.

Gavan also gave the directive to all coast guard personnel to conduct sea patrols and monitor the weather and sea condition in their respective regions, ensure the safety of the sea riding public and render assistance to those affected by heavy flooding.

Aside from checking on the weather condition, fishermen should check their boat engine and outriggers, and bring their repair tools. They should also bring their safety and emergency equipment such as lifejackets, flashlights and batteries. – With Pia Lee-Brago, Artemio Dumlao, Christine Boton, Evelyn Macairan