CLASSES in all levels were suspended in four major cities in Cebu due to rains caused by tropical depression “Crising” yesterday.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama called up the Cebu City Schools Division and ordered the suspension of classes, while Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, Naga City Mayor Valdemar Chiong and Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza issued similar orders.
“It is up to the schools to handle the situation differently. They are answerable if there are any untoward incidents,” Rama said.
He said he received weather updates from Oscar Tabada, Mactan chief of the state weather bureau Pagasa.
Tabada said a low pressure area that was spotted 220-kilometers northwest of Puerto Princesa slowed down at 4 a.m. while tropical depression “Crising” moved 300 km northwest of Zamboanga City as of 5 p.m yesterday.
“Crising” packed maximum winds of 45kph near the center and is moving west northwest at 19 km per hour.
Tabada advised fishermen not to set sail until the weather improves.
The central and eastern seaboards of Visayas will experience cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms.
Alvin Santillana, operations chief of the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council, said while rainfall at 6 mm per hour remains normal, the two-day rains have caused some inconvenience.
Santillana said their teams are on standby while Rama said equipment were sent in Cebu City’s north and south districts to deal with any emergency.
Acting Gov. Agnes Magpale said she gave the mayors in every component city and town the discretion to decide whether or not to suspend classes in their respective areas based on their assessment.
Untoward incidents
Magpale said she talked with Tabada who told her that the formation of clouds in the northern Cebu is heavier compared to southern Cebu.
She advised residents in landslide areas to relocate temporarily.
“As of now, there are no any reported untoward incident in Cebu ,” said Neil Sanchez, officer of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC).
Some private schools like CIT-University, Asian College of Technology and Don Bosco Technology Center announced the suspension of classes, but said work in the offices would continue.
Some students and professors of the University of San Carlos (USC) complained that the school suspended classes from kinder to high school, but not in the college level.
USC Vice President for Academic Affairs Fr. Anthony Salas confirmed to dyLA that the school decided to push through with classes in the tertiary level since they have midterm exams yesterday and today.
Some vessels in Cebu’s ports suspended their voyages due to bad weather.
Coast Guard Cebu Station Commander Weniel Azcuna said 44 passengers were stranded in Cebu City port after two vessels for Leyte areas decided to cancel its trips last Tuesday evening.
MV Lapu-Lapu Ferry 8 for Baybay Leyte and MV Lady of Angels Bato Leyte canceled their voyages for fear of rough seas brought by “Crising” in Mindanao.
Yesterday, MV Super Shuttle Ferry 17 also suspended their Danao City-Camotes Island trip while MV Lite Ferry 6 canceled its trip from Bato Samboan to Dapitan City.
In Toledo City port, MV Melrivic 9 and MV Fastcraft 2 for San Carlos City Negros Occidental also decided to cancel their trips.
Azcuna said sea travel resumed in Bantayan and in Tangil Dumanjug.
Five outgoing flights in Mactan-Cebu International Airport headed to Kalibo, Legazpi, Cagayan de Oro and Dumaguete City were canceled yesterday due to bad weather. With Correspondents Edison delos Angeles and Christine Emily L. Pantaleon and Reporter Ador Vincent Mayol