3 cities suspend classes
Classes in all public and private schools in Cebu City today have been suspended in preparation for the possible effects of the impending Typhoon Ompong.
Also, there will be no classes in all public schools in Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu cities.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña made the announcement last night on his official Facebook page.
“Upon consideration of PAGASA’s prediction and the assessment of the Cebu City Disaster Management Office regarding the effects of Typhoon Ompong, I hereby declare no classes in all schools under the Cebu City Government’s jurisdiction tomorrow (today),” read the post.
DepEd Cebu City Division Superintendent Dr. Bianito Dagatan also echoed the mayor’s announcement.
"Mayor Osmeña, in his FB post, declares suspension of classes tomorrow (Friday) in Cebu City. In view hereof, all activities involving students shall be automatically postponed. Teachers need not report also since they are expected to hold make up classes in a latter date,” he said.
Dagatan said though disaster risk reduction (DRR) teachers may still report in exchange for service credits.
However, he said division personnel are still required to report for work.
Also, Mandaue City Mayor Luigi Quisumbing declared no classes after reports of possible heavy rains and flooding.
“In light of PAGASA reports of possible heavy rains and flooding enhanced by Typhoon Ompong and an activity by DepEd teachers in the afternoon of Friday, September 14th, I hereby declare the cancellation of classes in all PUBLIC PreSchool, Elementary and High Schools in the City of Mandaue,” he said.
The mayor said “private schools may choose to follow suit at their discretion."
Ompong, perceived to be the strongest typhoon to hit the country this year, will bring heavy to intense rains starting today.
Although the typhoon was projected to hit the extreme northern region of Luzon, government offices have prepared for eventualities.
Osmeña said City Hall personnel are being deployed to northern and mountain barangays to “mitigate potential danger due to high winds.”
The mayor advised the public to stay indoors as much as possible.
The provincial government, on the other hand, is also bracing for possible effects of typhoon Ompong.
All Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices have been activated.
Seven hundred packs of relief goods from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and three hundred more from the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) are also now in place.
Moreover, Presidential assistant for the Visayas Mike Dino urged the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH-7) to implement measures over giant billboards as typhoon Ompong is expected to bring heavy winds in Cebu.
“It’s the least of the preparations that we can do for now. To avoid incident of damage around the areas of huge billboards, we need to roll down the tarpaulin,” Dino said.
Central Command commander Lt. General Paul Atal, for his part, said the military is ready to provide logistical support to government agencies and local disaster risk reduction and management offices in case of mobilization for relief operations.
DISCRETION
Furthermore, the power to suspend classes should remain with local government units because they know the situation in their area, the Department of Education (DepEd) said yesterday.
But in the absence of the mayor’s declaration and weather bureau’s typhoon signal pronouncement, DepEd -7 Regional Director Julieta Jeruta has advised school administrators to monitor and prepare for weather conditions.
“In the absence of the mayor’s declaration and storm signal pronouncement from the weather bureau, all school heads are alerted to track weather conditions at their level, particularly in landslide and flood prone areas and those with difficult topographical terrain,” she told The FREEMAN.
Jeruta also said parents should likewise monitor the weather forecast.
“Each person is alerted to keep watch and be ready for orders and issuances beginning tonight until tomorrow,” she said.