MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered on Saturday the suspension of work in government offices and classes in public schools at all levels on July 24 in Metro Manila due to inclement weather and the scheduled transport strike.
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin issued the order through Memorandum Circular No. 25 issued on July 21 but was released only on Saturday.
Bersamin said government agencies whose functions involve the delivery of basic and health services, preparedness/response to disasters and calamities, and/or the performance of other vital services will continue with their operations and render the necessary services.
He said the suspension of work in private companies and classes in private schools would be left to the discretion of their respective heads.
On Monday, Marcos will deliver his second State of the Nation Address (Sona) at the Batasang Pambansa in Quezon City.
Several transport groups will stage a three-day transport strike starting on Monday to protest the government’s Public Utility Vehicle modernization program.
Marcos will have an unwanted guest on his second Sona as Tropical Cyclone Egay will strengthen into a typhoon on Monday, the weather bureau said on Saturday.
2 weather systems
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that two weather systems would be dominant on that day—Egay and the reemergence of the southwest monsoon, or “habagat.”
Egay is expected to intensify into a typhoon on Monday. It is estimated to be 660 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora, according to Juanito Galang, chief of Pagasa’s weather division.
Since Egay was still far from Metro Manila, Galang said it would be partly cloudy on Monday morning and clouds with rain showers and thunderstorms were expected in the afternoon.
On Saturday, Egay was located about 685 km east of Virac, Catanduanes. It is moving westward at 15 km per hour. Egay has maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.