THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Monday that 'Falcon' has escalated into a typhoon but it remains over the Philippine Sea.The typhoon, estimated 1, 070 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon, has maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph, weather specialist Obet Badrina said. It is moving at 15 kilometers per hour and is slightly accelerating and turning west-northwestward.'Falcon is very far from the Philippine landmass so it has no direct effect in the country,' Badrina told The Manila Times.'It is the southwest monsoon locally known as 'habagat' which is being enhanced by the typhoon that will continuously brings rain in most of the country in the coming days,' Badrina said.The typhoon will likely continue to intensify and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility either on Monday night or early Tuesday morning, Pagasa said.
