With the entry of Typhoon "Rosita" in the country, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said on Sunday that it will implement the same level of preparedness it employed when Typhoon "Ompong" hit Luzon last month.

“The level of our preparedness is the same as Ompong, which we experienced last September,” said NDRRMC spokesperson Director Edgar Posadas in a radio interview.

He said NDRRMC has been placed under blue alert as the concerned government agencies, such as the the Departments of Social Welfare and Development, of Health, and of Interior and Local Government, as well as the local government units which could be affected by Rosita, have been on standby.

“We need the cooperation of our local government in preparation for the effects of Typhoon Rosita,” he said.

The state weather forecasting agency said that Rosita was threatening Isabela-Aurora area.

Packing winds of 200 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 245 kph, Rosita is forecast to move west at 20kph.

Weather forecaster Aldzcar Aurelio, in a press briefing, said Northern and Central Luzon are expected to experience light to moderate rains by Monday evening.

Rosita is expected to bring heavy rains over Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Nueva Ecija and Benguet by Tuesday morning.

Metro Manila will experience light to moderate rains once Rosita makes a landfall over the Isabela-Aurora area by Tuesday.

Aurelio said tropical cyclone warning signal would be raised over the eastern section of Northern and Central Luzon Sunday night. TCWS No. 1 may be raised over Metro Manila by Monday evening.

Rosita is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Thursday. Ella Dionisio/DMS