malaysiangThe provincial government of Negros Oriental suspended all classes in all levels, both private and public schools and work in government offices Friday due to heavy rains and flooding.
Governor Manuel Sagarbarria made the directive in Executive Order 51 released past 10 a.m.
Before this, many local government units have suspended classes as early as Thursday.
On Thursday evening, some 500 individuals were evacuated to the town gymnasium in Siaton town after rivers swelled and heavy rains inundated low-lying residential areas.
Earlier in the day, some residents in Zamboanguita also evacuated to safer ground but returned later after flooding subsided, said Adrian Sedillo, Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) head.
‘We have spread ourselves out as we deployed teams to towns that were flooded and with rivers overflowing already on Thursday. We have to help the local DRRMOs as there are not enough emergency responders in these areas,’ Sedillo said in mixed English and Cebuano.
‘Gov. Manu
el Sagarbarria has enjoined all local DRRM councils, DRRM stakeholders, and the general public to be vigilant and pro-active to minimize the impacts associated with hazards brought about by the present weather conditions,’ he added.
Pre-emptive evacuation is ongoing in some areas as heavy downpour continues with close monitoring of river waters in place.
Sedillo said so far, there are no reports of casualties except for damage to property and crops.
Negros Occidental suspension
Face-to-face classes were likewise suspended in almost all local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City.
‘Classes from pre-school to senior high in both public and private schools in Bacolod City are hereby canceled. As for the college level, cancelation will be at the prerogative of their respective schools,’ Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez said in a statement.
In Bacolod City, the University of St. La Salle suspended classes from pre-school to senior high school while it shifted to asynchronous lear
ning for the college level.
The University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos canceled classes in all levels as well.
Other LGUs that also suspended classes are the cities of Bago, Cadiz, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, La Carlota, Sagay, Silay, Sipalay, Talisay, and Victorias; likewise the municipalities of Calatrava, Don Salvador, Benedicto, Manapla, E.B. Magalona, Murcia, Pulupandan, Valladolid, San Enrique, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, Binalbagan, Moises Padilla, Ilog, Candoni, Cauayan, and Hinoba-an.
Schools in some of the LGUs shifted to alternative learning modalities based on the announcements.
In La Castellana town, classes have been suspended since Sept. 10 due to the increased seismic activity of Mt. Kanlaon.
Since Friday morning, the PDRRMO has been issuing heavy rainfall warnings, with possible flooding, for southern Negros, particularly in the cities of Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Sipalay and the municipalities of Ilog, Candoni, Cauayan and Hinoba-an.
Army ready for Kanlaon, bad weather effects
The Ph
ilippine Army, meanwhile, said it has mobilized its disaster response task units (DRTUs) to help mitigate the possible impact of the unrest of Mount Kanlaon and of the bad weather.
PA spokesperson Col. Louie Dema-ala said these DRTUs are from the 303rd Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division.
Aside from these units, DRTUs from the 62nd Infantry Battalion, 79th Infantry Battalion, and 94th Infantry Battalion as well as reservists from the Bacolod City-based 605th Community Defense Center of the Reserve Command, Philippine Army stand ready for deployment as conditions dictate.
“The PA leadership assured the readiness of Negros-based Army units to help disaster-vulnerable communities amid the threats posed by Mount Kanlaon which remains under Alert Level 2 and Tropical Storm ‘Bebinca’ which is forecasted to enhance the southwest monsoon (habagat),” Dema-ala said in a statement.
Source: Philippines News agency
