Floods hit Metro areas

Classes in most schools in Metro Manila were suspended yesterday by the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) due to floods brought about by heavy rains and a high tide.

Covered by the suspension were Quezon City, Caloocan City, Mandaluyong City, Valenzuela City, Malabon and Navotas.

Education Undersecretary Ramon Bacani said "most parts of these localities went under floodwaters. We had to suspend classes to protect the students, teachers and other school personnel."

High tide aggravated the flooding in Valenzuela City, Malabon and Navotas. Many roads leading to these areas were impassable to light vehicles due to waist-deep floodwaters.

Bacani added that as a practice, DECS coordinates with its field officials and local government units to determine if there is a need to suspend classes in a certain area.

Education Secretary Raul Roco took the responsibility of making announcements of the suspension of classes during typhoons and other calamities.

Roco assured that he or Bacani would be on their toes first thing in the morning to make such announcements during typhoons.

"LGUs also have the power to suspend classes if there is a need for it. In cases like this (typhoon), DECS will be prepared to take the necessary steps to safeguard our students," he said.

Roco added that while DECS can coordinate with the local officials, the department also has its monitoring system to determine the situation in the community in times of calamity.

"We have our own people in the field – our regional directors, school superintendents and division heads. There are almost half a million teachers who can see what is happening in the community," he said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) cautioned yesterday against potential serious accidents as the rainy season catches up with its road and sewage projects, submerging many of them as in yesterday’s torrential rains.

While insisting that floods have become few and lower this year as a result of the multi-million projects being undertaken by the government, the DPWH said unfinished road projects could pose serious danger to pedestrians and motorists because of the excavations.

"We have instructed our contractors to put up signs to warn the people of the presence of diggings or projects on the roads which may not be visible with the flooding," said DPWH-NCR director Salvador Pleyto.

Pleyto said they will set a meeting with the contractors on the safety measures to be undertaken. – Jose Aravilla, Jerry Botial and Pete Laude