Marcos places gov't on full alert for 'Uwan'

Cyclone may develop into supertyphoon. Brace for heavy rains, life-threatening surges. 8.4 M individuals face threat from storm. Classes in Metro Manila suspended.

- By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS, MERLINA HERNANDO-MALIPOT, and MARTIN SADONGDONG

President Marcos placed the entire government on full alert as Typhoon Uwan approaches Northern Luzon and ordered swift preemptive evacuations, rapid-response deployments, and close coordination among national agencies and local governments.

Uwan, which was forecast to develop into a supertyphoon either last night or this morning before making landfall possibly in Catanduanes, is expected to bring heavy rains that may cause life-threatening flooding and storm surges due to its massive size—a radius of 700 kilometers and a diameter that spans about 1,400 kilometers, which could cover areas from Batanes down to Bohol.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said Uwan could impact 8.4 million individuals based on predictive analytics.

Marcos said all available assets of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had been mobilized to ensure quick evacuation and response operations.

He noted that the DOTr and LTFRB had already deployed buses and trucks for evacuation efforts, while the DSWD and AFP pre-positioned relief goods, lifeboats, and rescue vehicles in high-risk provinces.

Preemptive evacuations, emergency lanes opened

Under the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), preemptive evacuations are ongoing in vulnerable areas as part of the government's "zero-casualty" goal.

The President said toll had been suspended for emergency convoys and responders, while special lanes were designated to allow faster access to flood-prone regions.