Antique: The Antique Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) deployed on Thursday two teams of responders to the northern part of the province to boost preparations for the impact of Severe Tropical Storm Opong. 'We have already deployed the teams in Libertad and in our satellite office in Culasi,' PDRRM officer Broderick Train said in a media interview after their Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment (PDRA) meeting.

According to Philippines News Agency, during the meeting, officials were assured that the Antique Integrated Provincial Health Office is ready with the necessary medicines. Additionally, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (SWD), together with its provincial counterpart, the Antique Provincial SWD, is preparing food packs for distribution to families that may be displaced.

In a separate interview, Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer III Michael Tolentino stated that the nine northern municipalities of Antique, namely, Laua-an, Barbaza, Tibiao, Culasi, Sebaste, Pandan, Caluya, Valderrama, and Libertad, are now under Tropical Wind Cyclone Signal No. 1. An orange rainfall warning was issued for the whole province, based on the weather forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Service Administration.

'We urge the public to be vigilant, especially if they are living in the hazard-prone areas,' Tolentino advised. He also mentioned that there are reports of families living along the coastal areas in the municipality of Barbaza being pre-emptively evacuated as of Thursday afternoon. With the orange rainfall warning in effect, heavy to intense rain is expected to impact the province.