• CHERYL G. CRUZ
Mayor Greg Gasataya lamented that the recently-cleared creek near Bata North Terminal has again been filled with garbage after only a few hours of heavy rainfall yesterday, Nov. 24, with Bacolod City placed under Signal 1 due to Tropical Depression Verbena.
He noted the city had only recently completed a major clearing and cleanup in the area to restore the waterway, and now was garbage-choked anew.
“Situations like this highlight the importance of working together to keep our surroundings clean and our waterways functioning well,” Gasataya stressed in a statement. “Managing waste, keeping our surroundings clean, and looking after our environment, is a responsibility we all share.”
He said that City Engineer’s Office personnel are in the area to immediately clear the creek to prevent any buildup and keep nearby residents safe. “We will continue to respond as needed and maintain our waterways to the best of our ability.”
Gasataya also extended the suspension of classes at all levels, both in public and private schools in Bacolod, until today, Nov. 25, still due to the heavy rainfall warning issued by the DOST-PAGASA in line with TD Verbena and the shear line.
He urged schools to shift to modular distance learning performance tasks and projects “to ensure that learning competencies are met.”
As of the 8 p.m. weather bulletin, “Verbena” was estimated to be over the coastal waters of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte, with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 70 km/h, and central pressure of 1000 hPa.
Bacolod and the whole Negros Island Region are still under tropical cyclone wind signal 1, along with Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Cebu, Bohol, Samar, Eastern Samar, Biliran, Leyte, and Southern Leyte, all in the Visayas.
Signal 1 is also in effect over Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, the northern and central portions of Palawan including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands, and mainland Masbate in Luzon; and Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, the northern portion of Bukidnon, the northern portion of Misamis Occidental, and the northern portion of Zamboanga del Norte, all in Mindanao.
“Verbena” will move west northwestward across Visayas and the northern portion of Palawan before emerging over the West Philippine Sea on Nov. 26, the weather bureau said, adding it is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Nov. 27. | CGC
