President Aquino has ordered government agencies concerned to work for “zero casualty” when Typhoon Chedeng makes landfall in the country.

Weather forecasters tracked Chedeng at 540 kilometers east of Borongan, Eastern Samar, on Tuesday morning, and they expect it to move eastward, possibly hitting Bicol on Wednesday.

“It is not only in Albay but actually all parts of the Philippines....We have to do everything,” Undersecretary Graciano Yumul Jr. of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in a Palace news briefing on Tuesday.

But Yumul said for zero casualty to be achieved, the affected communities should be abreast with the hourly forecast of Pagasa.

“We have done that before, and we believe that we can still do it but everybody has to work for it. At the end of the day, one’s safety is the individual’s responsibility,” he said.

Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a statement that the President was “closely monitoring the preparations for Chedeng and has instructed all the agencies concerned to do everything possible to minimize the loss of life and damage to property that may be brought about by the storm.”

“We appeal to those in low-lying and landslide-prone areas to cooperate with local authorities if and when they are asked to evacuate. This is for your own safety,” Lacierda said.

“We are keeping the public updated so it can take the necessary precautions to minimize damage to property and loss of life. Prepositioning of manpower and resources will allow us to secure populations and respond effectively and in a timely manner,” Lacierda added.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has already mobilized its rescue units and equipment in Eastern Visayas and in the Bicol region as it prepared for Chedeng.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr., PNP spokesman, said police units in affected regions were directed to activate their respective Disaster Incident Management Task Groups, in coordination with civil-defense authorities and local disaster-risk reduction management committees.

He said police regional offices were also ordered to ensure the deployment and prepositioning of search-and- rescue units for disaster response in areas threatened by Chedeng in Samar, Sorsogon, Albay, Catanduanes, the Camarines provinces, Quezon, Aurora, Isabela, and Cagayan, and other provinces that are located along the eastern shorelines in Luzon, the Visayas and down to Eastern Mindanao.

Regional police directors were instructed to inform community leaders on disaster preparations and actions, with emphasis on the evacuation of communities along potentially dangerous areas.

Local police forces were also told to coordinate with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and local government units (LGUs) for road-clearing operations medical and relief operations.

The Navy has alerted all of its units in Northern and Southern Luzon for Chedeng.

“We have already upped preparations, more specifically the areas covered by our naval forces in the Central, Southern, Northern and Metro Manila commands to pre-position their forces in typhoon-prone areas,” Admiral Alexander Pama, Navy chief, said in an interview during the 113rd anniversary celebration of the Navy at its main headquarters in Roxas Boulevard, Manila. 

He said all units were monitoring the situation on a 24/7 basis in coordination with other government agencies and LGUs in areas that are prone to be storm surges, landslides and floods.

The Coast Guard has been deployed to see to it that ships and small fishermen do not go out to sea at this time.

A total of 1,031 passengers have been stranded in Bicol ports where Signal No. 1 was raised in Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay and Sorsogon.

The DPWH deployed quick-response teams in critical sections along the national roads in Western Visayas, Bicol, Cagayan Valley and Northern Luzon in preparation for Chedeng’s projected landfall.

Romeo Momo, DPWH undersecretary for regional operations, said the agency’s regional and district offices had conducted drainage-declogging and vegetation-control operations along national highways to prevent floods during the wet season.

“Pagasa has already issued a warning about the possibility that Typhoon Chedeng may bring rains heavier than those of Typhoon Milenyo. We must double our efforts to ensure immediate rescue-and-relief operations,” the DPWH said.

Meanwhile, the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), the country’s power transmission concessionaire, said it is set to activate its command centers in all areas within the typhoon’s path.

As part of its integrated typhoon action plan, the NGCP said it is monitoring the typhoon through its Enterprise Geographic Information System Mapviewer and that all maintenance work will be suspended 48 hours before Chedeng’s estimated landfall.

The NGCP also said it was making sure that line crews are positioned in strategic areas and that necessary materials and supplies are readily available to ensure that damaged facilities in affected areas are immediately restored.

Meanwhile, Yumul of Pagasa said summer would end this week, with the arrival of Chedeng. He also said the country must brace for stronger typhoons in the next three months even with La Niña close to disappearing over the Pacific Ocean.

He said the Philippines is expected to experience 18 to 21 typhoons this year because of La Niña.

(With R. Acosta, Z. Solmerin, VG Cabuag and P. A. Isla)