MANILA, Philippines — The state-run weather agency has placed a town in Palawan, along with Kalayaan Island, under Signal No. 1 although Tropical Depression ‘Romina’ remained outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Weather specialist Robert Badrina of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Balabac is at the southern portion of Palawan.
Estimated over the coastal waters of Rurok Island, also in Kalayaan, the weather disturbance is moving northward at 35 kilometers per hour (kph) while packing maximum sustained winds of 55kph and gustiness of up to 70kph, the 5 p.m. bulletin said.
Currently moving northward, Romina, the 17th storm to hit the country and second this month, has been predicted to turn northwestward or west-northwestward within the forecast period.
It may pass near the southern portion of the Kalayaan Islands area in the next 24 hours, the latest advisory said.
“It must be noted that a brief entry within PAR is not ruled out,” Badrina said.
The national weather agency said Romina may briefly reach tropical storm category within the next 12 hours before weakening into a tropical depression for the rest of the forecast period.
