More areas in Luzon, including Metro Manila, were placed under warning signals as ''Pepito'' developed into a tropical storm on Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

Areas placed under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number Two were La Union, Pangasinan, Ifugao, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Aurora, the southern portion of Isabela (Palanan, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Burgos, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Cauayan City, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Alicia, San Mateo, Ramon, San Isidro, Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Santiago City, Cordon), the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Alilem, Tagudin), the northern portion of Zambales (Iba, Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Botolan, Cabangan), and the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar) including Polillo Islands.

Under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number One were Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Bulacan, Pampanga, Bataan, Metro Manila, Rizal, the rest of northern portion of Quezon (Infanta, Real), the rest of Ilocos Sur, the rest of Isabela, and the rest of Zambales.

As of 4pm, Tropical Storm ''Pepito'' was spotted at 110 km east of Baler, Aurora with maximum winds of 75 kph near the center and gusts of up to 90 kph. It is while moving west northwestward at 30 kph.

Pagasa expects ''Pepito'' to make landfall over the coast of Aurora between 6 pm and 10 pm Tuesday.

''Pepito'' will be 275 km west of Dagupan City by Wednesday afternoon, then at 520 km west of Dagupan City or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday afternoon, Pagasa forecasts. Robina Asido/DMS