SITUATIONAL REPORT NO. 1

TROPICAL STORM URSULA (PHANFONE) CITY AND PROVINCES 26th, December 2019 Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cebu – Relief and Rehabilitation Unit

SYNOPSIS:

Severe Weather Bulletin #13 from DOST/PAG-ASA indicate that Tropical Storm PHANFONE (ST Ursula) intensifies rapidly, and is already a Severe Tropical Storm as it moves closer to Eastern Visayas-Southern Bicol Area. The location of the Eyewall/ center of the storm at 10:00PM on the 24th of December, 2019 is already located, based on all available data including Guiuan, Mactan, and Iloilo Doppler Radars, in the vicinity of Calubian, Leyte. The eyewall of TS Ursula is bringing very destructive winds and intense rainfall over southwestern portion of Samar, and Northern portion of Leyte and Biliran, Extreme Northern Cebu, Masbate, and northeastern Iloilo will be affected by the eyewall in the coming hours. The passage of the eye i n s o m e o f t h e aforementioned areas w i l l b r i n g c a l m conditions. However, as soon as the eye moves out of the area, violent conditions will resume as the trailing eyewall passes. Occasional to frequent heavy with intermittent intense rains over Eastern Visayas, Masbate, northern and central Cebu, northern p o r t i o n o f N e g r o s Provinces, Aklan, Capiz, A n t i q u e , I l o i l o , G u i m a r a s , R o b l o n , Marinduque, Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands, and Mindoro Provinces. Light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains, Bicol Region, rest of Visayas, CALABARZON, Aurora and the northern portion of mainland Palawan. Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal #3 was raised over Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, extreme Northern Cebu, including Bantayan and Camotes Islands (Daan Bantayan, Medellin, Bogo City, Tabogon, San Remigio, Bantayan, Sta. Fe, Madridejos, Ssan Francisco, Poro, Tudela, Pilar), Capiz, Aklan, northern Antique (Libertad, Pandan, Sebaste, Culasi, Tibiao) and northeastern Iloilo. Winds in these areas were between 121 & 170 km/h.

(cf. http://pubfiles.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/tamss/weather/bulletin/SWB%2313.pdf)

INITIAL ASSESSMENTS:

December 25, 2019. Rev. Fr. Charles Louis Jayme, along with Mr. Leo Tan did a transect walk from the western part of Cebu, i.e., , Cebu up to San Remigio to Tapilon, Daan Bantayan via Poblacion, Medellin, Cebu then down to Bogo City via Bagay and Tindog, Medellin, Cebu. Below are the findings:

-Balamban, Asturias, Tuburan, were fine in terms of the conditions of the houses, business infrastructures; although there were indicators of farms being damaged by the Storm.

- Southwestern part of San Remigio was slightly affected as indicated by the untarnished houses and infrastructures with slight destruction of the trees and farms; however, at the Poblacion of San Remigio was affected moderately to severely as indicated by some unroofed houses, flooded areas, and destroyed farms.

- Onwards to Poblacion Medellin and to Kawit, these areas were moderately affected as well. Indicators were the unroofed houses, infrastructures, electricity posts were toppled down and vegetation and farms were destroyed.

- Daan Bantayan until Tapilon, Daan Bantayan were gravely affected. Rubbles, houses were uprooted to the middle of the street, trees uprooted to the streets also, electrical posts uprooted as well. Wee found it hard to pass through the streets because of rubbles, wires, trees, houses and roofs blocking our vehicle from passing through.

- From San Remigio to Daan Bantayan, to Medelllin, to the outskirts of Bogo City were on block out from electricity. There were no provisions of potable waters from the Local Water Utilities Administrations from these Municipalities. Hence, the need for potable water were being raised by the LGUs.

-As for the churches, most of these were intact except for Kawit Parish, where one of its stained glasses at the facade was broken; Daan Bantayan Parish was also affected with its ceilings and some parts of the roofs were blown out.

- On all these municipalities, evacuation centers were filled with people living in high risk areas like those living along the coast lines, rivers banks and flooded areas, among others.

-RRU secured a copy of assessment of the damages to households on account of the Storm from Daan Bantayan’s Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO) as of 12:30Pm, December 25, 2019. Among all Barangays, only Carnasa and Malapascua (Logon) were not able to submit because of no communication. It was in these places that the eyewall of TS Ursula passed by. Of the 18 barangays: 8,023 were partially damaged, while 3,827 were totally damaged households. Of the 18 barangays: 3,962 were accounted with 11,165 individuals (Male: 5,479; 5,686 female); the following vulnerable sectors were also identified: 411 Pregnant and lactating mothers; 1,204 Persons with Disabilities; 5,577 children from 0-17; and 785 Senior Citizens. Malapascua Parish volunteer reported that there were 1,500 households affected in the said island.

ACTIONS TAKEN:

- The parish volunteers from the parishes involved: Sta. Rosa de Lima (Poblacion,), St. Michael the Archangel (Tapilon); St. Isidore the Worker (Maya); Virgen delos Desamparados (Logon), Daan Bantayan, Cebu were reporting updates through text messages to the RRU staff as to the condition of their respective places.

- Distribution of a hundred of potable water filters, tarps and solar light lanterns from Caritas Humanitarian Aide, Relief and Initiatives - Singapore (CHARIS) will be distributed hopefully to Malapascua and Carnasa Islands, Daan Bantayan, Cebu once the data will arrive tomorrow, December 27, 2019.

- The circular letter from the office of the Archbishop of Cebu through Caritas Cebu, Inc. Director, Fr. Alex Cola urging the Cebuano faithful to extend their aide to the people will be released.

- Situation Report that will lead to Emergency appeal to different local and international Caritas Agencies through NASSA/Caritas is being made through this.

Prepared by:

Rev. Fr. Charles Louis N. Jayme, MPR Roman Catholic Archbishop of Cebu - Relief and Rehabilitation Unit Archdiocese of Cebu 09171641140; 032-4358371 [email protected]