MANILA - Sixteen domestic flights bound for Bicol and Samar were cancelled Friday as typhoon Pepeng (international codename Parma) threatened northern Luzon.

Six Philippine Airlines flights and six more flights of Cebu Pacific to Legaspi, Naga, Catarman and back to Manila were cancelled.

Four Zest Airways flights to Catarman, Samar and Virac, Catanduanes and back to Manila were also cancelled.

Flights cancelled based on the Manila Internatinal Airport Authority's 9 a.m. advisory were:

Z2 591 (Manila to Catarman), Z2 590 (Catarman to Manila), Z2 651 (Manila to Virac), Z2 650 (Virac to Manila), PR 261 (Manila to Naga), PR262 (Naga to Manila), PR 029 (Manila to Catarman), PR 030 (Catarman to Manila), PR 277 (Manila to Legaspi) , PR 278 (Legaspi to Manila), 5J 821 (Manila to Virac), 5J 822 (Virac to Manila), 5J 325 (Manila to Legaspi), , 5J 326 (Legaspi to Manila), 5J 521 (Manila to Naga) and 5J 522 (Naga to Manila).

As of 5 a.m., Pepeng was located 270 kilometers east of Virac town, Catanduanes province. It was moving west northwest at 19 kph, packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 230 kph.

PAGASA has hoisted Signal No. 2 over Catanduanes, Camarines Norte, northern Quezon, Aurora and Polillo Islands.

Signal No. 1 has been placed in Ondoy-stricken areas, including the southern part of Quezon, Rizal, Bulacan and Pampanga.

Other areas under the Signal No. 1 were Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Cagayan, Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias Island, and Northern Samar.

The weather bureau is also preparing to include Metro Manila in the list of areas under storm alert signals.