Break over for some Malabon students

It’s back to school for students of three public elementary schools in Malabon City which have not held classes since Monday due to higher-than-normal tide levels.

Bong Padua, the city’s public information officer, said that classes resume today at Dampalit Elementary School-Main, Dampalit Elementary School and Academia de Santo Rosario, all in Barangay (village) Dampalit.

Classes have been suspended in these schools since Monday after authorities anticipated at least a two-meter increase in the water level of the nearby Malabon-Navotas River, increasing the possibility of flashfloods.

The river snakes through the low-lying barangay, making it vulnerable to flooding during high tide, Padua said.

The suspension of classes was decided on based on the recommendation of barangay chairman Reynaldo Cruz to Mayor John Reynaldo Tiangco.

According to Padua, although the tide was still expected to go up, the river’s water level was predicted to go up to just 1.9 meters compared to the earlier forecast of two meters.

He said no weather disturbance was expected in the next few days as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) predicted only isolated rainshowers or a “monsoon break.”

Pagasa, however, said it was keeping an eye on what appeared to be a low pressure area forming in Mindanao.

First posted at 5:45 p.m.