By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter

AT LEAST seven people were killed during the onslaught of typhoon Aghon, the first storm to hit the Philippines this year, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. set aside over P600 million to aid some 36,000 victims, authorities said on Tuesday.

As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the typhoon was spotted 535 kilometers (km) east of Basco, Batanes north of the capital Manila, with sustained winds of up to 130 km per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

In its situational report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said a 14-year-old female from Misamis Oriental died after strong winds toppled a tree. Another student was injured.

In a separate report, Reuters quoted police Maj. Elizabeth Capistrano telling local radio station DWPM that there had been six deaths due to Aghon, including two men who drowned.

The NDRRMC said eight more people were injured and 36,143 people or 12,436 families in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas and Metro Manila were adversely affected by Aghon’s weekend wrath.

It also reported that 16,426 people or 4,076 families sought temporary shelter at evacuation centers, while 5,614 other displaced residents stayed with friends or relatives as floodwaters rose in many areas.

Before departing for Brunei Tuesday morning, Mr. Marcos said the social protection agency had already given out P1.35 million worth of assistance to typhoon victims.

The government also put 841 search and rescue retrieval teams from the Philippine military, coast guard, and fire agency on standby, said the President, who is currently on a two-day state visit to Brunei.

Over 400 transportation assets and 400 emergency telecommunications equipment were set to be used for relief efforts, he said.

Aghon has affected 60 seaports, 13 of which were still non-operational as of 8 a.m., according to the NDRRMC, which reported that the number of stranded passengers had hit over 400.

It said 11 domestic flights and one international flight had been canceled so far.

The NDRRMC said the government had provided P3.66 million in assistance to affected families.

PAGASA, meanwhile, reported that Aghon is unlikely to directly bring significant rainfall within the next three days.

However, the southwesterly windflow will bring moderate to heavy rains over Western Visayas and the western portions of Northern, Central, and Southern Luzon until Friday.

“With the lifting of all hoisted wind signals, possible impacts from severe winds of Aghon within the forecast period are becoming unlikely.”

THE PHILIPPINES and Brunei have signed deals aimed at bolstering cooperation in the areas of tourism, maritime, and food security, the Palace reported Tuesday, as President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. began his two-day state visit in the neighboring Southeast Asian nation.

Mr. Marcos arrived in Brunei Darussalam before noon and later met with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah Yang Di-Pertuan.

The two leaders immediately sealed the economic partnerships ahead of Mr. Marcos’ scheduled departure for a two-day working visit in Singapore, where defense leaders from dozens of nations are gathering.

In a press release, his office said the Philippines and Brunei signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on maritime cooperation to boost information sharing, skills training, and research. 

The two countries also signed a letter of intent “to explore further cooperation and collaboration on the field of agriculture for food security and sustainable agriculture.”

They also signed an MoU to “generate cooperative tourism projects and increase tourist arrivals between the two countries.”

The tourism deal seeks to boost ties in Islamic tourism and the promotion of Muslim friendly destinations.

The two countries also signed an MoU to allow mutual recognition of national certificates.

Mr. Marcos is set to fly to Singapore on May 30 to deliver a keynote address at the 21^st Edition of the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia’s premier defense summit.

In his departure speech, he said he would articulate the Philippines’ “perspectives and outlook on defense and diplomacy” and highlight his country’s “commitment to a rules-based international order and constructive multilateralism” amid geopolitical challenges.

Before leaving Manila, Mr. Marcos’ government had to deal with China’s unilateral fishing ban in the South China Sea, which Beijing claims almost in its entirety including waters that are well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Early in May, Beijing approved a policy allowing its coast guard to detain foreigners it suspects of violating its exit-entry rules “in the waters under the jurisdiction of China” for up to 30 days — and in some cases for as long as 60 days — without a trial.

Raymond M. Powell, a fellow at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at US-based Stanford University, said in an X message: Mr. Marcos should raise concerns over the new China regulation, which will take effect next month, at the security dialogue.

“My visit to Singapore is part of the series of high-level exchanges between the Philippines and Singapore which began at the start of the year,” Mr. Marcos said, noting the need to renew ties with Singapore after Lawrence Wong was sworn in on May 15 as its new prime minister.

Mr. Marcos said he will invite Singapore’s president and its new prime minister to visit the Philippines “as a testament to our strengthening bonds.” — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza