Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong has called on residents to be proactive and use the emergency hotline 911 for assistance and pre-emptive evacuation as Super Typhoon Pepito (international name Man-yi) approaches. The mayor made this announcement on Sunday, November 17, 2024, highlighting the expected heavy rainfall of 58 millimeters starting that afternoon.
Magalong emphasized that Baguio City is prone to hazards, urging residents to assess their surroundings and call for help if they feel at risk due to the heavy rains. He spoke during the sidelines of the ‘Takbo para sa West Philippine Sea’ event, stressing the importance of resident initiative in such situations.
The city has been placed on blue alert since 8 a.m. Sunday, with plans to escalate to a red alert by 4 or 5 p.m. This escalation will see all emergency teams and assets converge at the Baguio Convention Center, where the Smart Emergency Operations Center is located. Blue alert status initiates pre-emptive evacuations in high-risk areas, while red alert signifies a high-risk situation requiring full emergency readiness.
Mayor Magalong also confirmed that disaster response teams and equipment will be deployed to vulnerable areas, and village disaster risk reduction management teams will be on high alert to respond to any distress calls. In preparation for the typhoon, classes at all levels and government office work in the morning have been canceled for Monday.
Baguio and Benguet are currently under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3, indicating significant weather threats from Super Typhoon Pepito.