QC mayor issues guidelines on class suspensions during typhoon

FILE PHOTO: Residents wade through a flooded Araneta Avenue in Barangay Tatalon, Quezon City, ,as rainfall continues due to the southwest monsoon, which flooded many parts of Metro Manila, on July 25, 2021. (NIÑO JESUS ORBETA / Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has issued guidelines on whether classes should be suspended during inclement weather.

Belmonte enumerated in a memorandum the conditions when classes in all public and private schools within Quezon City shall be postponed in consideration of the safety of students and school personnel during a typhoon.

She said that the postponement of classes should be based on the Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS) that the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) will raise.

Particularly, Belmonte’s Memorandum Circular No. 10 states:

• Signal No. 1 – preschool and kindergarten classes in public and private schools shall be automatically suspended
• Signal No. 2 – primary, elementary, and secondary classes in public and private schools shall be automatically suspended
• Signal No. 3 – primary to college classes in public and private schools shall be automatically suspended

But in cases when Pagasa would not raise any TCWS, suspension of classes will be at the mayor’s discretion based on the recommendations of the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council using the Pre-Disaster Risk Assessment and the consensus of division schools.

Belmeonte’s memo likewise indicated that announcements on the suspension of classes shall be made no later than 4:00 a.m. to avoid any inconveniences. — Catherine E. Dabu, trainee

RELATED STORIES

Bongbong Marcos suspends classes, gov’t work in Metro Manila, Luzon provinces due to ‘Florita’

KGA/abc