By Arjay L. Balinbin and Gillian M. Cortez

DOZENS of flights to and from Manila were canceled on Monday due to Typhoon Kammuri, known locally as Typhoon Tisoy, while 4,603 passengers, 1,025 rolling cargoes, 73 vessels and 41 motor bancas were stranded in various ports.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said all terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) would be closed from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. because of the storm.

Scheduled flights will be prioritized once operations resume. The airport operator asked passengers to stay in their homes.

Malacañang said it was monitoring regions that are at risk, including the provinces of Catanduanes, Albay and Sorsogon, presidential spokesman Salvador S. Panelo said in a statement.

“The President has already directed all agencies to be alert and to perform all the measures that have been prepared in the event of any storm coming,” he said.

The storm was expected to make landfall last night or early Tuesday morning.

The Social Welfare department has set aside standby funds and stockpiles, Mr. Panelo said.

In a 4 p.m. advisory, the airport authority said PAL Express had canceled its two-way Manila-Legazpi flights as well as its flight to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

PAL Express also canceled flights from NAIA to Los Angeles; Dammam and Riyadh in Saudi Arabia; and Doha, Qatar.

The airline also canceled six flights between Manila and Tacloban.

Cebu Pacific canceled four flights between Manila and Legazpi as well as two flights between Manila and Virac, Catanduanes.

The airline also canceled six flights between Manila and Tacloban.

Cebu Pacific’s wholly owned subsidiary Cebgo canceled two flights between Manila and Masbate, four flights between Manila and Naga, two flights between Manila and Legazpi, and two flights between Manila and Basco.

Skyjet also canceled two flights between Manila and Camiguin.

Meanwhile, Philippines AirAsia canceled four flights between Manila and Tacloban.

In a separate statement, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said its Director General Captain Jim C. Sydiongco met with local air operators on Sunday to prepare “for the possible effects of the incoming Typhoon Tisoy on their respective commercial operations.”

The regulator said it had issued a memo to its airports last Sunday to enforce precautionary and safety measures.

“The measure, established and in practice since 2015, includes procedures on the relocation of light aircraft, equipment and documents to drier, safer areas,” it said. It also involved securing windows and doors of facilities with reinforced shutters and gates; removal of loose objects from the ramp; and sending home nonessential staff.

In a 3:00 p.m. emergency alert, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Signal No. 2 was expected in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, in the southern portion of Aurora, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, rest of Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, rest of Camarines Norte, Calamian Islands, southern portion of Zambales, rest of Eastern Samar, rest of Samar, Biliran, Aklan, Capiz, northern Antique, northern Iloilo, northern portion of Negros Occidental, northern Cebu, and northern portion of Leyte.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) said all terminals of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) will be closed on Tuesday, from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m., due to Typhoon Kammuri, known locally as Typhoon Tisoy.

In an advisory on Monday evening, MIAA said: “Operations in all NAIA Terminals will be suspended from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. tomorrow, 3 December 2019, in preparation for the expected onslaught of Typhoon Tisoy.”

MIAA said scheduled flights will be prioritized once flight operations resume.

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