The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday placed all units, particularly in Luzon, on heightened alert as tropical depression "Domeng" threatened some parts of the region.

Lt. Commander Armando Balilo, PCG Public Information Officer and deputy chief of staff for community relations, said that despite reports that the weather disturbance may not directly hit the country, except extreme Northern Luzon, they still want to make sure that no vessels weighing less than 1,000 gross-tonnage will sail when public storm warning signal number 1 is declared.

“We want to make sure of the safety of the public particularly those in the maritime and fishing industries so we are once again advising the public that seacraft vessels weighing less than 1,000 gross-tons aren’t permitted to sail in areas where a signal number has been raised”, Balilo said.

Based on the 11 a.m. weather bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Wednesday, Signal Number 1 is currently placed along the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, and Aurora while the depression is moving in west, northwest direction with a speed of 15 kilometers per hour.

As tropical depression "Domeng" slightly hastened its speed towards Northern Luzon, public storm warning Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Cagayan Valley, Isabela, and Aurora provinces, Pagasa said on Wednesday.

The areas placed under Signal No. 1 are expected to experience winds of 30 to 60 kilometers per hour (kph).

As of 10 a.m. on Wednesday, "Domeng" was 430 kms northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, with maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center. PAGASA's forecast show that "Domeng" is moving west-northwest at 15 kph.

Domeng is expected to be 330 kms east of Aparri, Cagayan, this morning; and 120 kms north of Aparri, Cagayan, or 30 kms north-northeast of Calayan Island tomorrow morning. On Saturday, "Domeng" is expected to be 360 kms west of Basco, Batanes. Pagasa climatologist Vic Manalo III said "Domeng" is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday.

“Based on the latest forecast, there is still no indication that “Domeng” will further intensify in the next 24 hours.

The current situation also does not show that the tropical depression will make a landfall,” Manalo said.

Pagasa is also monitoring the development of a low pressure area (LPA) estimated at 700 kms east-northeast of Basco, Batanes early Wednesday.

Once the LPA intensifies into a storm, it will be named "Ester."

Manalo pointed out that the LPA off Batanes is still too far to adversely affect any part of the country, but cited a possibility that the LPA would intensify into a storm or cyclone. “The LPA remain quasi-stationary over the Philippine seas,” he said.

“Most parts of the country will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms, particularly over areas where public storm warning signal has been raised,” Manalo explained.

Pagasa also alerted residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas under Signal No. 1, including Southern Luzon, the Visayas, and Northern Mindanao against possible flashfloods and landslides.

“Because of the complex weather situation and oscillation of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), rains will have wide coverage. But the circulation of the tropical depression will be over onky three areas,” Manalo said.

Pagasa also advised the public and the disaster coordinating councils concerned to take appropriate action and watch for its next bulletin alert.

Meanwhile, PCG Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo advice all units particularly the Northern Luzon District under Commodore Athelo Ybañez to closely monitor the depression and make sure that they are ready for possible dispatch, particularly the search and rescue units, just in case an untoward maritime incident would happen.

Balilo urged the public to follow them on the social networking site Twitter for the latest advisories and warnings. The coast guard’s Twitter account is http://www.twitter.com/phil_coastguard.