Malacañang on Sunday evening released a memorandum declaring the suspension of work and government offices and the suspension of in-person classes at all levels in selected areas across the country due to the threat of Super Typhoon ‘Nando.’
Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin signed Memorandum Circular No. 87 notifying the general public that students and school employees, as well government personnel who are not part of emergency response teams, are advised to stay home amid the anticipated inclement weather.
The memo covers the following locations in view of the forecasted heavy rainfall attributed to the effects of Super Typhoon ‘Nando’ and enhanced southwest monsoon:
- Metro Manila
- Abra
- Antique
- Apayao
- Bataan
- Batanes
- Batangas
- Benguet
- Bulacan
- Cagayan
- Cavite
- Ifugao
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- Isabela
- Kalinga
- La Union
- Laguna
- Mountain Province
- Nueva Ecija
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Occidental Mindoro
- Oriental Mindoro
- Pampanga
- Pangasinan
- Palawan
- Romblon
- Rizal
- Tarlac
- Zambales
The announcement reinforced earlier advisories released by some local government units in Metro Manila such as the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Manila and Marikina.
“Agencies responsible for basic, vital and health services, preparedness and response duties must continue to remain operational to ensure continuity of essential government functions,” Malacañang said in the memo.
“Non-vital government employees of subject agencies and all other government employees may be engaged under approved alternate work arrangements, subject to applicable laws, rules and regulations,” it added.
Malacañang also noted that localized suspension of classes and work in government offices may be implemented by mayors in affected areas as they see fit, subject to relevant rules.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) reported on Sunday evening that more than 1,400 residents have already been preemptively evacuated in four affected regions across Luzon as Super Typhoon ‘Nando’ intensified further.
Based on its latest monitoring, evacuations were initiated in the provinces of Apayao (Cordillera Administrative Region); Ilocos Norte (Ilocos Region); Batanes, Isabela, Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya (Cagayan Valley); and Aurora (Central Luzon).
“The largest numbers of evacuees were recorded in Cagayan (242 families/682 individuals), Aurora (107 families/331 individuals), and Apayao (100 families/306 individuals). More local governments continue to implement evacuation operations in high-risk communities,” the DILG said in a statement.
The DILG has urged local government units (LGUs) to strictly enforce preemptive and mandatory evacuation in barangays highly susceptible to storm surges, flooding, and landslides.
LGUs are likewise reminded to implement liquor bans, observe the no-sail policy, and ensure that evacuation centers are adequately prepared with food, water, and health facilities.
Residents in danger areas and low-lying communities are strongly urged to heed the call of the DILG to voluntarily comply with preemptive evacuation in order to further prevent the loss of lives. The agency emphasized that homes and properties can be rebuilt, but lives lost can never be replaced.
