MANILA — Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. on Sunday urged residents in areas threatened by Super Typhoon Uwan to heed preemptive evacuation orders and not wait until conditions worsen before leaving their homes.
“Evacuation now is better than calling for rescue later,” Teodoro said, emphasizing that early evacuation saves lives and prevents responders from being exposed to unnecessary danger once the storm hits full force.
Teodoro made the appeal as Super Typhoon Uwan continued to batter parts of the Bicol Region, bringing destructive winds and torrential rains.
He also reminded local government units (LGUs) to ensure that evacuation centers are properly equipped and that coordination among the disaster risk reduction offices, Armed Forces, and Philippine National Police remains strong.
“We must all work together to minimize casualties and ensure everyone’s safety,” he added.
Super Typhoon Uwan, packing winds of 185 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 230 km/h, was last spotted near Daet, Camarines Norte, as it moved toward Aurora province, where landfall is expected Sunday night or early Monday.
