PRESIDENT  Benigno C. Aquino III yesterday directed Defense Chief Voltaire Gazmin who is at the helm of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Dinky Soliman to oversee relief and evacuation efforts even as over 3,153 passengers were stranded mostly in Bicol region  in the wake of tropical storm “Bebeng”.

The President, who is expected to be home today at dawn after his stint at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, also ordered  the pre-positioning of relief goods to areas affected by tropical storm “Bebeng” (Aure).

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said Aquino also ordered the early identification and preparation of evacuation centers for affected folk.

“Nagbigay ng instruction ang Pangulong Aquino na ihanda (at) identify ang evacuation centers at siguraduhin ng DSWD magkaroon ng prepositioned goods sa mga targeted area para kung sakaling kakailanganin ay nakahanda na ito,” Valte said over the state owned DZRB, Radyo ng Bayan.

Valte also said the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has also beefed up its monitoring of storm “Bebeng”.

Valte said the Palace expects PAGASA to give hourly updates on the storm’s track.

“Bebeng” made landfall over Northern Catanduanes Sunday and was heading towards the Quezon-Aurora area.

In its 11 a.m. update, PAGASA said at least nine areas were under Storm Signal 2.

As of 10 a.m., PAGASA said “Bebeng” was some 70 km east-northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte, with maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph.

As of 3 p.m., its latest update showed “Bebeng” was 60 km northeast of Daet, Camarines Norte, at noon Sunday.

Earlier, PAGASA said Bebeng made landfall over Northern Catanduanes and is now heading towards the Quezon-Aurora area.