Classes suspended

CEBU, Philippines - Classes in  all levels of public  elementary and high schools in Cebu City and province are suspended today.

Mayor Michael Rama has ordered the suspension of classes after his meeting with City Command Control Center (C3) officials headed by City Councilor Dave Tumulak yesterday due to the onset of tropical depression Queenie.

“It is better to be over-prepared than not preparing at all,” said Rama, who also had classes end early yesterday.

Tumulak, who heads the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council supports Rama’s concern that led to the suspension of classes.

For private schools, Tumulak said the city government is encouraging them to likewise suspend classes for today.

At the Capitol, Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III issued a similar declaration, which is in effect in all public schools under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education- Cebu Province.

Davide’s declaration does not cover the DepEd divisions in Cebu City, Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City and Danao City.

DepEd is responsible for the management of the country’s primary and secondary school educational system.

Davide already suspended classes in all levels in southern Cebu as early as yesterday afternoon after PAGASA placed it under Storm Signal No. 1.

Quoting the governor, Provincial Information Officer Ethel Natera said private schools were also encouraged to suspend classes.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management office reminded residents to stay indoors at all times to avoid the danger posed by electrical wires, and falling and flying debris and other wind-swept materials.

In Cebu City, Tumulak assured that the CDRRMC is ready whenever the storm would hit the city.

Barangay officials and employees have also prepared their respective equipment for use in responding to possible emergencies that may arise because of the storm.  All barangay-based disaster risk reduction and management councils were also advised to coordinate with the C3.

The city government has likewise prepared the Kaohsiung buses that would be used for those who might get stranded as a result of the storm.

Those who are living within the three-meter easement zone were also instructed to do pre-emptive evacuation in case water in rivers and other waterways would overflow due to heavy rain.

Tumulak said that in instances where there is heavy flooding, each barangay has a sports complex and a barangay hall for residents to evacuate to.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration, Queenie is expected to enter the Visayas and pass by the tip of southern Cebu today.

Weather Observer Alexander Padin said Queenie would bring rains to Carcar City down to Santander town.  He said Queenie is pushed towards the south by the northeast monsoon, thereby sparing northern Cebu.

As of yesterday, signal number one was raised in the areas of southern Leyte, Bohol, Negros Oriental, southern portion of Negros Occidental, Siquijor, and southern Cebu.

But even when Quennie was still in Mindanao yesterday, at least 500 were already affected yesterday after they got stranded when the Philippine Cost Guard Cebu prevented ships from leaving port around noon.

The passengers were supposedly bound for Bohol province, Dumaguete City, Siquijor and for southern Cebu.

PCG Central Visayas Chief of Staff and Spokesperson Weniel Azcuna said they are continuously monitoring Queenie and are on careful watch for advisory from PAGASA.

PAGASA said Queenie may bring moderate to heavy rainfall (seven to 15 mm per hour) within its 300-km diameter, and reminded residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under Storm Signal No. 1 and the rest of Mindanao to be alert against possible flashfloods and landslides.

It also warned fisherfolk and those with small seacraft not to venture out over the seaboards of Visayas and over the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao. — Michael Vencynth H. Braga, Mechelle P. Florita, Ria Mae Y. Booc, GMA News/RHM