• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Governor Manuel “Chaco” Sagarbarria suspended the Oct. 23 face-to-face classes in all levels, both public and private schools, in the province of Negros Oriental due to the erratic weather condition brought about by Tropical Storm Kristine.
The class suspension will remain in effect until lifted, Sagarbarria said in Executive Order 57 posted at 8:32 p.m. Oct. 22 on the official Facebook page of the provincial government.
“It is imperative to implement a localized cancellation or suspension of in-person classes at all levels as a precautionary measure to mitigate the potential risks associated with the inclement weather,” the EO states.
Sagarbarria noted that based on the latest advisory from PAGASA, parts of Visayas, including Negros Oriental, will be experiencing possible flash floods, or landslides due to moderate to heavy rains caused by the trough of Tropical Storm Kristine, which may persist in the next few days.
“Kristine” slightly intensified over the Philippine Sea, east of Bicol Region, with its center estimated at 390-kilometer east of Daet, Camarines Norte, as per the latest weather bulletin.
It has maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 90 km/h, and central pressure of 990 hPa, and is forecast to move generally northwestward until it makes landfall over Isabela or northern Aurora tonight, Oct. 23, or early morning of Oct. 24.
Signal No. 2 has been hoisted over the northeastern portion of northern Samar and the northern portion of eastern Samar in the Visayas, and in Catanduanes, the eastern portion of Camarines Norte, the eastern portion of Camarines Sur, eastern portion of Albay, and the eastern portion of Sorsogon, in Luzon, as of the 5 p.m. advisory of PAGASA.
Signal 1 is in effect over Metro Manila and several areas in Luzon, including Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Ilocos Sur and Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Apayao, Kalinga, Abra, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Cagayan, including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Quezon, including Pollilo Islands, Occidental Mindoro, including Lubang Islands, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, including Ticao and Burias Islands, Marinduque, Romblon, the rest of Camarines Norte, the rest of Camarines Sur, the rest of Albay, and the rest of Sorsogon.
In Visayas, the rest of eastern Samar, rest of northern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Biliran, and southern Leyte, as well as Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte, including Siargao-Bucas Grande Group, are also under Signal 1.
Section 2 of Presidential Executive Order No. 66, series of 2012, provides that in the absence of typhoon signal warnings from PAGASA, localized cancellation or suspension of classes and work in government offices may be implemented by local chief executives, as chairperson of Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council concerned…specifically in flood-prone or high-risk areas, Sagarbarria said. | CGC
