Palace tells Metro residents: Keep guard up even if Ruby has weakened

Residents living along coastal areas in Manila evacuate to safer grounds as the local government ordered the pre-emptive evacuation in anticipation of Typhoon Hagupit which is expected to make its fourth landfall in Batangas province south of Manila Monday, Dec. 8, 2014 in the Philippines. AP

MANILA, Philippines–Tropical storm “Ruby” (Hagupit) shut down government offices and suspended classes as it roared toward Metro Manila on Monday after making landfall in eastern Visayas.

But although Ruby weakened from being a typhoon to a tropical storm in heading toward the capital, Malacañang urged the public not to be complacent and to continue monitoring the situation.

“We are all thankful that the storm has weakened but it doesn’t mean that we should be complacent,” deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters.

The storm’s sustained winds were down from 140 kilometers per hour Sunday to 120 kilometers an hour Monday morning.

President Aquino, who monitored the storm from his Bahay Pangarap residence in Malacañang Sunday, ordered the suspension of “classes at all levels and work in government offices” on Monday.

The order covered Metro Manila, Calbarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), and Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan).

Exempted from the order were government agencies “whose work involves the delivery of basic and health services, disaster response, and other vital public services.”

“[The suspension order] was intended to give us time to prepare our families and communities,” Valte said.

The Palace said there was no reason to increase the prices of basic commodities in areas affected by Ruby.

“So far, the DTI [Department of Trade and Industry] sees no reason for that,” Valte said, noting that caravans offering goods at discounted prices have been on standby.

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