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MANILA, Philippines — Classes in Quezon City public schools were suspended on Tuesday, October 22, due to tropical storm Kristine (international name: Trami).
According to the local government, classes are automatically suspended from kindergarten to senior high school in areas with Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals (TCWS) in accordance with Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 37.
“Ayon sa DepEd, kung itinaas ang TCWS oras na nakapagsimula na ng klase, kailangang suspendihin ang klase at trabaho sa paaralan, at pauwiin ang lahat kung ligtas itong gawin,” the local government unit (LGU) said in its announcement.
(According to DepEd, if a Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) is raised once classes have already started, classes and school operations must be suspended, and everyone should be sent home if it is safe to do so.)
The LGU further emphasized that suspensions in private schools and colleges are at the discretion of the school administration.
However, they encouraged school administrators to follow national or local suspension announcements to ensure the safety of both students and teachers.
As of 11 a.m., Metro Manila was placed under TCWS No. 1, along 42 other areas across the country.
READ: Class suspensions on Oct. 22 due to tropical storm Kristine
Kristine was last spotted some 335 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes and is moving west northwestward at 10 kilometers per hour (kph), according to the state weather bureau.
State meteorologists added that it has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center, with gusts of up to 80 kph.