MANILA - Pepeng (international codename Parma), which has weakened into a tropical depression, has maintained its position near Cagayan province, weather bureau PAGASA said Thursday.

PAGASA said that as of 4 a.m., the storm was 80 kilometers east northeast of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour.

The weather bureau said it is expecting the storm to make landfall again in Cagayan as it continues to move back and forth near the province.

Signal No. 1 remained hoisted over Batanes group of islands, Cagayan, Babuyan Island, Calayan Island, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Isabela, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, northern Aurora and Benguet.

Pepeng entered the Philippine territory on September 30 and was feared to make landfall in Cagayan as a supertyphoon.

A total of 20 people died during the storm's onslaught in Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Benguet, Ifugao, Quezon, Camarines Sur and Nueva Ecija. Two people remained missing.

The storm's total damage to crops and infrastructure was pegged at P1.94 million, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said.