MANILA -- Some areas in Luzon are once again on alert status with the entry Monday of a tropical depression that threatens to bring heavy rains and flooding in the typhoon-stricken north.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the country’s weather bureau, reported that the low pressure area spotted at 610 kilometers east of Luzon on Sunday evening has already entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Monday.

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The depression codenamed “Tino” was already located at 200 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center. It has maintained its strength as it moves towards northern Luzon on Monday evening.

Pagasa hoisted public storm warning signal number 1 at 11 provinces in Luzon, which include Batanes group, Cagayan, Babuyan, Calayan islands, Apayao, Kalinga, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Isabela, Quirino and Northern Aurora.

Chief forecaster Nathaniel Cruz said Tropical Depression Tino is the 20th weather disturbance that has entered the PAR for the year of 2009 and the first for the month of November.

The new storm came just a day after Typhoon Santi (international codename: Mirinae) exited the Philippines, leaving at least 16 people dead.

The weather bureau, in its 11 p.m. bulletin, said Tino was forecast to move west at 11 kph, and is expected to be 90 kilometers east southeast of Vigan City on Tuesday evening; 170 kilometers west of Vigan on Wednesday evening; and 460 kilometers west northwest of Baguio City on Thursday evening.

Cruz said Tino is not directly affecting the country’s capital, Metro Manila, stressing that it is far from the area.

He added that the rest of northern Luzon will experience occasional rains and gusty winds due to the northeast monsoon, which has been preventing Tino from intensifying.

Residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes, especially in areas under storm signal number 1, were advised to take all the necessary precautionary measures against possible flashfloods and landslides, the Pagasa said.

The public and disaster coordinating councils concerned are also advised to take appropriate actions.

Earlier reports, however, said that before the entry of Tropical Depression Tino to the country, the different disaster councils in Luzon and the rest of the Philippines have already set up strategies to avert loss of lives and properties during typhoons and other calamities.

“Mitigating measures in flood- and landslide-prone areas are being thoroughly studied and evaluated,” said Northeastern Mindanao Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Regional Director Dr. Blanche T. Gobenciong.

The country is still recovering from the effects of back-to-back storms that hit Manila and the rest of Luzon recently, killing more than 900 people. Some 87,000 people who fled the storms were still living in temporary shelters when Typhoon Santi struck last Friday.

Santi left at least 16 people dead, mostly from drowning, but it did not keep the largely Roman Catholic country from paying respects to the dead on Sunday's All Saints’ Day. Huge crowds jammed cemeteries, with some people visiting still-flooded ones by boat.

A total of 11,158 families or 54,630 individuals were affected by Santi in Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and National Capital Region (NCR), the National Disaster Coordinating Council reported.

Of those affected, 3,924 families or 19,356 individuals were housed in 103 evacuation centers.

The NDCC said Monday that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has already transported P3.8 million worth of relief goods to help out typhoon victims. (Sunnex/AP)