BY ELLALYN V. RUIZ
Tropical depression “Tonyo” made its third landfall over San Juan, Batangas Sunday morning while on its way towards the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said.
Its center passed over San Juan, Batangas around 8 a.m. and was already in the vicinity of Lobo, Batangas at 10 a.m.
Tonyo made its first landfall over the northern part of Ticao Island, Masbate around 9 p.m. Saturday, and its second landfall over Torrijos, Marinduque at 4:30 a.m. Sunday.
It has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 60 kph, but PAGASA is not discounting the possibility of Tonyo’s intensification into a tropical storm within the next 24 hours.
Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 remains hoisted over Metro Manila, northern and central portions of Quezon (Gumaca, Pitogo, Quezon, Alabat, Perez, Unisan, Plaridel, Atimonan, Agdangan, Padre Burgos, Pagbilao, Mauban, Tayabas City, Lucena City, Sariaya, Candelaria, Tiaong, San Antonio, Dolores, Lucban, Sampaloc, Real, Infanta, and Gen. Nakar), including Polillo Islands, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, southern portion of Aurora (Dingalan), southern portion of Zambales (San Marcelino, San Felipe, San Narciso, San Antonio, Castillejos, Subic, and Olongapo City), Marinduque, northern portion of Romblon (Romblon, San Andres, Calatrava, San Agustin, Corcuera, Banton, and Concepcion), northern and central portions of Oriental Mindoro (Bongabong, Bansud, Gloria, Pinamalayan, Socorro, Pola, Naujan, Victoria, Calapan City, Baco, San Teodoro, and Puerto Galera), and northern and central portions of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Sta. Cruz, Mamburao, Paluan, and Abra de Ilog), including Lubang Island.
PAGASA said Tonyo will likely to continue moving west-northwest or west towards the Cavite-Batangas area before emerging over the West Philippine Sea Sunday morning or afternoon.
Should it maintain its projected track, Tonyo will be outside the Philippine Area of Reponsibility by Monday morning.
PAGASA said the weather disturbance will continue to bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Aurora, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, northern portion of Quezon, including Polillo Islands, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan, including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands.
Areas under signal No. 1 are currently experiencing or will experience strong breeze to near gale conditions with occasional gusts throughout the passage of Tonyo.
The northeast monsoon or “amihan” may also bring strong breeze to near gale conditions over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, and the northern portion of mainland Cagayan.
PAGASA said Tonyo and the easterlies, or the warm and humid winds originating from the Pacific, will cause moderate to rough seas over areas under signal No. 1, eastern seaboards of Cagayan Valley, Aurora, northern portion of Quezon, and northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes.
Those using small boats were advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea, while inexperienced mariners were recommended to avoid navigating in these conditions.
The amihan will also trigger rough to very rough seas over the seaboards of Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and the northern seaboards of Cagayan and Babuyan Islans. Sea travel has been suspended in these areas.
