No classes today

CEBU, Philippines - The local chief executives of Cebu province and the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Carcar ordered the suspension of classes today in all levels for both public and private schools.

Governor Hilario Davide first made the announcement to suspend classes today which the other mayors also followed. 

“For uniformity, classes will continue to be suspended until tomorrow (today) for all public and private schools,” Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said.

He said classes cannot resume yet as classrooms in almost all barangays were used as evacuation centers.

“Alangan naman magklase na nga hugaw paman ang mga eskwelahan. Bati pa pud ang panahon,” Rama said.

Mayors Jonas Cortes, Paz Radaza, and Nicepuro Apura, of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Carcar, respectively, also made separate declarations for suspension of classes. 

In Cebu City, there were over 40,000 individuals evacuated in 137 evacuation centers. As of yesterday afternoon, the evacuees were advised to go home except those from the mountain barangays.

Seeing no more impending threat from typhoon Ruby, Rama said there is no reason for the evacuees to stay longer in the evacuation centers.

“If there is no more reason, why stay? Sa bukid naa may hangin pa, diri syudad wa naman so back to the barracks or return to home na ang mga tawo sa tagsa-tagsa nila ka panimalay,” he said.

Transportations were provided by the city and the barangays.

Today, more than 5, 000 city hall employees were ordered to help clean the evacuation centers in preparation for the resumption of classes tomorrow.

“Will be sending our employees after the flag ceremony to the evacuation sites for the cleanup of evacuation centers,” he said.

A skeletal force will be left at City Hall to attend to the needs of the public.

In Mandaue City, at least 26, 899 individuals have been evacuated to various public elementary schools in the city. Most of the evacuees came from the coastal barangays.

In Lapu-Lapu City, there were also 14,000 individuals evacuated.

Cebu City assistant agriculturist Arlie Gesta reported an initial damage of at least P200,000 to agriculture. He said a total of six hectares of sweet corn plantation—five hectares in Barangay Lusaran and one hectare in Barangay Cambinocot—have been damaged by the typhoon.

Several trees were uprooted obstructing the passageways in upland barangays including Binaliw, Mabini, Paril, Lusaran, Cambinocot, Taptap, Tagbao, and Sudlon.

Gesta, however, reported that the fallen trees were immediately removed to avoid inconvenience to motorists.

City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office executive director Simeon Romarate said there were reported landslides or soil erosion in upland barangays but only “minimal and manageable.”

He said there was also no report of casualty or major damage to infrastructures. (FREEMAN)