Classes still suspended today due to Dante, Emong

MANILA, Philippines —  Tropical Storms Dante and Emong continued to influence the country’s weather yesterday, with Dante maintaining its strength as it accelerated toward the north and Emong intensifying as it moved southwestward over the West Philippine Sea in the direction of Northern Luzon.

Classes in all levels remain suspended in several areas in the country today, including Metro Manila, due to persistent heavy rainfall brought by the enhanced southwest monsoon, Malacañang announced on Wednesday.

At 4 p.m. yesterday, the center of Dante was located 835 kilometers east northeast of extreme northern Luzon, carrying maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The storm, moving north northwest at 25 kph, is expected to remain over the Philippine Sea in the next 24 hours before turning west northwest toward the Ryukyu Islands and East China Sea. It may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility this afternoon or tonight.

Meanwhile, Emong was spotted 150 kilometers west of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. Also carrying maximum sustained winds of 65 kph and gusts of up to 80 kph, it was moving southwestward at 20 kph.

The state weather bureau said Emong could continue intensifying and may reach severe tropical storm category before making landfall over Ilocos Sur, La Union, or Pangasinan by tonight or early tomorrow. It is expected to weaken while crossing Northern Luzon’s mountainous terrain and reemerge over the Luzon Strait by tomorrow afternoon.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 remains in effect over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, parts of Pangasinan, Apayao, Abra, and Benguet. These areas may experience minimal to minor impacts from strong winds.

Both systems are enhancing the southwest monsoon, which continues to bring strong to gale-force gusts across wide portions of Luzon, Visayas, and parts of Mindanao. Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, the Bicol Region, Mimaropa and several Visayas provinces are likely to experience rains that may trigger flooding and landslides.

A gale warning has been raised over the western seaboard of Northern Luzon, including Pangasinan, Zambales, and Bataan, where seas could reach heights of up to six meters. All types of vessels are warned against sea travel in affected coastal waters, citing risks to safety amid very rough conditions.

Rough to very rough seas are also expected off the coasts of Ilocos Sur, La Union, Batangas, Cavite, Occidental Mindoro, Calamian Islands, and parts of Romblon, Quezon, and Marinduque.

Under Memorandum Circular 91 issued by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin yesterday, the class suspension today covers Zambales, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Metro Manila, Laguna, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Cagayan, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Antique and Iloilo.

Based on the memo, non-vital government employees of subject agencies and all other government employees in the same areas are not required to physically report for work.

“However, where practicable and as determined by the respective heads of agencies, the said government employees shall be on alternate work arrangement, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations,” it said.

Localized cancellation or suspension of classes and/or work in government offices in other regions may be implemented by their respective local chief executives, pursuant to relevant laws, rules and regulations.

“The suspension and/or adoption of alternate work arrangements in private companies and offices is left to the discretion of their respective heads,” the circular said.

Meanwhile, Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla urged local government units (LGUs) to remain on high alert due to the incoming weather disturbances.

“We will have bad weather until Monday. There are incoming storms,” he said in a statement.

Remulla said the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) is closely coordinating with LGUs. He added the Emergency 911 hotline is fully operational and ready to respond to urgent concerns.

The Bureau of Fire Protection went on full alert status in response to the inclement weather. It suspended non-essential operations to focus on life-saving measures, fire safety monitoring, rescue operations and emergency medical services.

The BFP said it deployed 35,517 personnel and assets for emergency response operations. Among these are 4,860 fire trucks, 87 rescue trucks, 314 ambulances and 60 water crafts.

Firefighters have retrieved three bodies and rescued 251 people in their recent storm-related operations.

Based on the official tally of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), seven people have died thus far due to Crising (international name Wipha), the southwest monsoon and the low pressure areas that have since developed into tropical storms.

Details on the latest reported fatality are yet to be released along with four others pending results of ongoing validation or verification.

An earlier report identified two of the validated deaths as a 15-year old teenager from Mambajao, Camiguin and a 21-year old male from Mainit, Surigao del Norte.

The NDRRMC, in its latest report, said the latest alleged casualty is from Metro Manila.

As of yesterday, at least eight persons are still reported missing and subject of search and rescue operations in Calabarzon, Metro Manila and Western Visayas.

Figures from the Philippine National Police (PNP) slightly differ, which pegged the number of deaths at 12.

Five of the fatalities drowned in various areas in Calabarzon. Three other people also died of drowning in Negros Island Region, the PNP said.

The four other victims are from Mimaropa, Northern Mindanao, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Metro Manila. Their causes of deaths were drowning and being struck by fallen trees.

Officer-In-Charge Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV of the OCD said the 12 reportedb deaths are still being verified.

Alejandro reported that the total number of families affected by typhoon Crising has also risen to 533,213 or close to 1.9 million individuals.

Of the number, he said close to 25,000 families are inside some 732 different evacuation centers in various affected communities across the country.

In Bulacan, two people died in separate incidents yesterday. In Meycauayan City, barangay health worker Christina Padora of barangay Bayugo was electrocuted on her way to the health center.

Meanwhile, an unidentified woman was found floating in a river in Bulakan town yesterday afternoon. The victim was described as wearing red T-shirt and jeans, between 5’3” and 5’5” tall and aged between 30 and 45.

As of 8 a.m. yesterday, 97 barangays in Bulacan were still inundated, 23 of which were in Calumpit town. The highest recorded flood was six feet in barangay Meysulao in Calumpit.

A total of 438,513 families or 1,460,606 individuals in Central Luzon have been affected by floodwaters, the OCD Region 3 reported yesterday.

A total of 94 domestic and two international flights were canceled as of 11 a.m. yesterday due to the continued weather disturbance. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific, its sister company Cebgo, and AirAsia all had canceled flights.

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines advised passengers to check directly with their airlines for real-time updates, rebooking options or refund procedures.

The Manila Electric Co. , meanwhile, said power restoration efforts in flooded areas were in full swing, bringing the number of affected customers down to 2,790. - Helen Flores, Emmanuel Tupas, Michael Punongbayan, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Rudy Santos, Ric Sapnu, Brix Lelis, Bella Cariaso