Baguio kids bombard mayor with poems to appeal for class suspension

WET,WET,WET The summer capital has been drenched for weeks, just like on Friday, due to a recent typhoon and the prevailing monsoon. Baguio is one of the country’s cities that receive the highest rainfall because of its mountain terrain.

BAGUIO CITY — This city’s social media page was bombarded with tongue-in-cheek appeals for the suspension of classes on Wednesday that were at times eloquent, poetic and suspiciously sounding like artificial intelligence (AI), as monsoon rains and the recent onslaught of severe Tropical Storm “Enteng” (international name: Yagi) kept the summer capital drenched the whole week.

Classes at all levels were canceled on Tuesday because of the poor weather conditions that were attributed to Enteng. It followed a long holiday weekend due to the celebration of Baguio’s Foundation Day on Sept. 1, a Sunday, which prompted Malacañang to declare a holiday on Monday instead, according to City Public Information Officer Aileen Refuerzo on Thursday.

On Wednesday, Mayor Benjamin Magalong suspended classes for preschool and elementary levels but not on account of the amusing online pleas, one of which began with: “It is with the greatest respect and humility that I, along with my fellow students, beseech thee to consider a temporary and prudent suspension of classes for the noble students of our esteemed educational institutions.”

Posted by “Trixie Marie,” the message addressed to Magalong said: “The relentless pursuit of our scholarly endeavors, coupled with the current unfavorable weather conditions, hath placed an onerous burden upon us … Be assured that we remain most sincerely dedicated to our noble and honorable pursuit of learning and are ever your most loyal and devoted subjects.”

The same message was repeated on several posts and signed by different people, some of whom identified themselves as high school students.

Refuerzo said her office noticed the playful and curated messages, noting that it was a change of pace from the usually snarky comments like “Di po kami waterproof (we are not waterproof),” which did surface occasionally in the threads.

Robot aid

Some posted messages that differed slightly but still repeated words and phrases, prompting comments online that the youngsters may have used the platform ChatGPT, which allows public access to AI to expand its “machine learning.”

A post by “Fanak II” described Magalong as “Mayor, Bearer of Dominion,” continuing with: “The very ground trembles as the storm gathers strength and we, the young seekers of knowledge, find ourselves vulnerable before its impending wrath. To continue our scholarly pursuits under such dire conditions would be to invite misfortune upon ourselves and those who guide us.”

Some of the posts were formal letters, attesting to flooding this week that caused “significant inconvenience and potential safety hazards for students and faculty members.”

Several posts contained this medieval-style poem: “To thy ruler of the mountains and fog, o’er seas of rain we tread, for the morrow arrives soon, a suspension is all we beg/ The scholars of the nation are but human, a call to rest must rise … May this plea appeal to thine eyes/ And hopefully, a suspension will arise.”

A post presumably from a parent countered with her own poem: “Although we understand your woes and worries/ It is but dark, wait for tomorrow’s sunrise … Be patient/ Be worry free and sleep well/ For we do not know what the future will bring/ But be ready from the mighty mayor, a surprise may yet to come (sic).”

‘Amused’

The mayor was “amused” and joked that he would have perpetually suspended classes for the people who gave the most lyrical messages, Refuerzo said.

But the city government follows the national disaster risk reduction standards set for suspending school activities, as well as a weather and flood forecasting system, she said, quoting Magalong.

In a City Hall release posted on Friday, the mayor said: “We really have to weigh things, consider the severity of the weather and the safety of our learners vis-à-vis the importance of education. “

“We cannot compromise the safety of the students, and at the same time … sacrifice the value of education, so we choose which levels have to be suspended and which levels need not. As much as possible, we would like to maximize the number of school days if we can help it,” it said.

Baguio historically receives some of the highest average rainfall in the country because of its terrain.

“Located in a mountainous area with an elevation ranging from 900 to 1,600 meters, Baguio receives an annual precipitation load of about 4,000 millimeter, which is among the highest loads in the country,” according to a March 2023 Asian Development Bank study.

The city is also going through its traditional wet season, or monsoon period, and anticipates the start of the La Niña (excessive rain) phenomenon this month.

Except for the constant rains, Enteng had no serious impact in Baguio and most of the Cordillera. About P8 million in rice and corn damages were recorded in the provinces of Apayao and Kalinga, but the numbers were still being validated, said lawyer Jennilyn Dawayan, Cordillera director of the Department of Agriculture, on Friday.