The first time I wrote about a typhoon in the Philippines was in Tropical Storm Bilis. It was upgraded to a tropical cyclone with the name of Typhoon Florita before it left the Philippines.

There were several storms prior to that one last year. Amazingly, there hasn't been a single instance so far this year. We could never be so lucky to last a year without at least one tropical storm or typhoon hitting the islands.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA):

Issued At: 5:00 a.m.,13 July 2007
Synopsis : At 2 a.m. today, Typhoon "BEBENG" was located based on satellite and surface data at 700 kms Northeast of Basco, Batanes or 130 kms South of Okinawa, Southern Japan (24.9°N, 127.5°E) with maximum sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 210 kph. It is forecast to move North Northwest at 22 kph.

Japan is about 2 hours northeast of the Philippines and we're getting a lot of rain because of that typhoon. Unless the storm changes course, the Philippines is not threatened by it.