Several parts of the country suspended classes due to bad weather on Monday, as the cyclone “Florita” strengthened into a tropical storm just as schools opened for the new academic year.
In Metro Manila, however, the expected traffic from the first day of the school year 2022-23 and the rains that had prevailed over the last week did not develop.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has described as “manageable” the morning traffic situation in the metropolis during the first day of face-to-face classes at all school levels.
Citing initial reports from the office of Traffic Engineering Office director Noemie Recio, MMDA chief information officer Sharon Gentalian said: “The traffic was manageable because the expected volume of vehicles did not happen, except for the traffic build-up at the De La Salle (Greenhills) and Ateneo (universities), which was also immediately fixed in less than an hour.”
In Cagayan, the provincial government canceled classes from the pre-school to primary level, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said.
Classes were suspended up to the secondary school level in the towns of Alcala and Baggao, the disaster agency added.
In Albay, the local governments suspended classes at all levels in the towns of Daraga and Polangui.
Mayor Paul Chino Garcia of Guinobatan town also canceled classes at all levels due to the threat of flooding.
In Oas town, Mayor Domingo Escoto Jr. suspended classes at elementary and high school levels.
Several parts of Luzon were placed under Signal No. 2 due to rains dumped by Florita.
The storm was last spotted 215 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, and was expected to make landfall in the east coast of Cagayan or northern Isabela by Tuesday afternoon, according to PAGASA.
During an emergency meeting on Monday, Claudio Yucot, Office of Civil Defense (OCD)-Bicol regional director and Bicol DRRMC chairperson, said it was necessary to raise the alert status as the storm intensified.
Among the areas that canceled classes in public and private schools at all levels were the province of Albay; Juban town in Sorsogon; and Sangay town in Camarines Sur.
“We need to prepare, we are closely monitoring the developments,” Yucot said.
He said that due to possible interruption of electricity, mobile, and internet connections, provincial and local DRMMCs are advised to explore all means of communicating advisories to the community.
OCD-Bicol recommended the trimming of trees in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, as well as de-clogging and cleaning of canals and rivers to prevent flooding, in coordination with the Department of Public Works and Highways.
In its 5 p.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau PAGASA said Florita was last located 155 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center, with gusts of up to 90 kph. It is moving west at 15 kph.
PAGASA said Signal No. 2 is currently hoisted over Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, the eastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya, Apayao, the eastern portion of Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, and the northern and central portions of Aurora.
Areas under Signal No. 2 may experience winds greater than 61 kph up to 120 kph in at least 24 hours. This can peel off old roofs and tilt or down wooden electric posts, and damage banana plants, rice, corn, and other trees.
Meanwhile, Signal No. 1 was raised over the Babuyan Islands, the rest of Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Abra, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the eastern portion of Pangasinan, the eastern portion of Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, the rest of Aurora, the eastern portion of Pampanga, the eastern portion of Bulacan;
The northeastern portion of Rizal, the northern portion of Quezon including the Polillo Islands, the northern portion of Laguna, and Camarines Norte.
At least six flights between Manila and Bicol Region were canceled as of 2 p.m. Monday, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) reported.
Based on PAL’s website, four of its flights between the Ninoy Aquino International Airport and the Bicol International Airport scheduled from 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. have pushed through.
At 12 noon, the weather bureau said heavy rainfall prevailed over Albay and Sorsogon. Light to moderate with occasional heavy rains were also forecast over Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes.
