Due to typhoon signal: Classes suspended

CEBU, Philippines - With storm signal number 1 hoisted over Cebu, the provincial government suspended classes in all levels in public schools throughout the province today, January 9.

Governor Hilario Davide III ordered the province-wide suspension of classes due to tropical depression Auring, according to Provincial Information Officer Jason Monteclar.

"Wala'y klase ugma. Cebu Provincial government declares no classes on Monday, January 9, 2017, in elementary and high school levels in all public and private schools due to risks of typhoon (Auring)," Monteclar said in a Facebook message.

He clarified that the declaration does not include the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Cebu, which are independent local government units.

Private schools, on the other hand, are given the discretion to suspend classes.

"Private schools are likewise encouraged to take precautionary announcement for college levels. Be safe everyone," Monteclar added.

There will be no classes for the pre-school levels in the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue today.

Danilo Almendras, Mandaue City Administrator said that Mayor Luigi Quisumbing ordered cancellation of classes of the pre-school pupils.

Mayor Paz Radaza also suspended classes in the pre-school levels in Lapu-Lapu City.

Radaza has yet to declare whether the city government will also suspend classes for elementary, high school and college since discussion with DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Marilyn Andales was ongoing as of press time.

Barangay and municipal disaster action response teams have already been activated and are helping monitor areas vulnerable to landslide, flooding, and storm surge.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office also warned those living in high-risk areas such as riverbanks and seashores to brace for possible storm surges.

"PDRRMO urges everyone to be calm and safe and to monitor for more #AuringPH updates," read the Capitol advisory posted on its Facebook page.

The provincial government fielded all heavy equipment units in the northern and southern parts of Cebu for immediate response in case of landslides.

Cebu City to have classes

Unlike other local government units, Cebu City did not issue a blanket order to suspended classes today.

"As far as I'm concerned, I don't see any risk. If there is a major typhoon, which is 200 kph, bisag typhoon signal number 1, I will postpone classes. But, it's just typhoon 1, it's just nothing uy," Mayor Tomas Osmeña told The FREEMAN.

"Cebu has nine typhoons a year. We can't afford to have no classes during the typhoons, maapektohan g'yud atong studies sa atong bata no," he added.

City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council head Nagiel Bañacia said the school principals and barangay disaster council have the discretion to suspend the classes depending on the situation of the locations of schools today.

He said the suspension of classes shall be treated on a case-to-case basis depending on the situation.

"Gi-awhag na nato ang barangay to activate ang barangay disaster. Ganina, nag-advice nata sa matag barangay to check the logistics, battery, krudo, stock sa food," he said.

With this, Bañacia encouraged the public to be on alert for the tropical depression, saying there are 19 upland barangays prone to landslides while five urban barangays are prone to flooding.

The mountain barangays that are highly susceptible of landslides are Lusaran, Binaliw, Guba, Budlaan, Malubog, Buot, Busay, Sirao, Tatap, Adlaon, Tagba-o, Tabunan, Pung-ol Sibugay, Sudlon 1, Sudlon 2, Sinsin, Buhisan, Pamutan, and Sapangdaku.

While barangays that are highly susceptible to flood are Bonbon, Labangon, Kasambagan, Kinasang-an and Mabolo.

As of now, Bañacia said responders are on standby to respond to any eventuality. He said the Incident Command Post for the tropical depression was activated yesterday. For emergencies, Bañacia said the public may call C3 numbers: 032- 2621424 and 0923 5248222.

Thousands stranded

As tropical depression Auring heads towards Cebu Province, the Cebu-based coast guard station has prohibited all vessels from heading out to sea, prompting shipping operators to cancel the scheduled trips and leaving thousands of passengers stranded in piers.

Declared yesterday under public storm warning signal number 1 were several provinces in Mindanao and Visayas regions, including Cebu, identified as one of the critical areas that may be affected by the looming weather disturbance.

Coast Guard Station Cebu Commander Dionilett Ampil said yesterday that all sea vessels were disallowed from sailing. He said this is in compliance with an existing memorandum circular that bans all sea travel in the ports within the locality once a storm signal is raised in the area.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, Ampil said sea trips of at least 67 passenger vessels, 49 rolling cargo vessels, and 17 motorbancas were cancelled, leaving a total of 2,237 passengers affected.

Moreover, he said the coast guard station of Cebu and its substations are preparing equipment, especially its floating assets, in case of emergencies. He also directed the Special Operation Group of the Cebu station and the sub-stations to be on standby to facilitate search and rescue operations and other response action.

For public assistance, he said they also activated their 24-hour emergency hotline through 416-6208 and mobile numbers: 0929-678-7923 and 0927-633-4512.

Meanwhile, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 yesterday temporarily suspended bus trips to Cebu Province due to the disturbance. Roll-on/roll-off bus trips in Liloan, Santander town, Toledo City, Tabuelan town and Hagnaya in Bogo City have been also cancelled.

In a statement, LTFRB-7 Regional Director Ahmed Cuizon said buses plying these routes are advised to stay in their respective terminals. Operators must also be ready to provide their passengers ready access to food and personal amenities.

 Cuizon added that bus operators with routes plying Ormoc in Leyte, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor and Negros Oriental are advised to wait for further guidance as their agency is getting additional information from Philippine Ports Authority.

To lessen disaster risks, members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in Central Visayas convened yesterday morning to plan preparatory measures and response actions.

The Office of Civil Defense in Central Visayas, which heads the multi-sectoral council, activated the red alert status restructuring all disaster response and relief units to provide emergency services and public assistance if needed.

OCD-7 duty officer Riza Joy Hernandez said yesterday that they advised all teams to standby as well as mobilized volunteers to strengthen their emergency response.

Hernandez also said the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Central Visayas has been busy prepositioning goods or family food packs so as to hasten distribution to potential affected areas.

DSWD augmented its emergency response capacity, particularly in addressing food security needs, by establishing the Visayas Disaster Response Center based in Mandaue City, Cebu.

Inside the 5,000-square meter center is the mechanized production system that can produce 50,000 family food packs in a day and can feed 250,000 people for three days. Aside from the huge center, DSWD-7's satellite warehouse in Cebu City has 30,000 family food packs stored in it.

Auring coming

According to state weather bureau PAGASA during its 5 p.m. bulletin, tropical depression Auring made its first landfall over Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte, moving northwest with a speed at 9 kilometers per hour.

PAGASA projected that its position by this afternoon is in the vicinity of Cordova, Cebu.

Before tropical depression Auring reached the country's landmass, Cebu province, including Bohol and Siquijor, and other provinces in Visayas and Mindanao regions were already placed under public storm signal warning number 1 in PAGASA's 5 a.m. advisory yesterday. — with May B. Miasco, Christell Fatima M. Tudtud, and Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/BRP