In response to the heavy rainfall brought by Super Typhoon Pepito, known internationally as Man-yi, the Bustos Dam in Bulacan has been actively releasing water as a preventive measure. The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) of Bulacan confirmed that the water release, which began on Friday, has been ongoing for three consecutive days. Retired Colonel Manuel Lukban, the head of PDRRMC, emphasized the necessity of this action due to the storm’s impact.
The typhoon prompted the raising of Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) No. 3 in several towns including Norzagaray, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Doña Remedios Trinidad, Angat, Santa Maria, Pandi, Bustos, Pulilan, Plaridel, and the cities of San Jose del Monte and Baliwag. The remaining areas of the province were under TCWS No. 2. Lukban forecasted that the province would see cloudy skies with intermittent light to moderate rain throughout the day on Sunday.
In preparation for potential flooding, preemptive evacuations were carried out, affecting a total of 729 individuals from 215 families across four coastal villages in Bulacan. Over 500 people were evacuated from the villages of Binuangan and Salambao in Obando town, while more than 160 individuals were moved from Barangays Pamarawan and Atlag in the City of Malolos.