To ensure the safety of students, especially those from mountain barangays, the Cebu City Government declared the suspension of classes in all levels, both private and public, as well as work of employees in all departments of the city government, starting noontime today, February 13.
Based on the latest weather bulletin of the Philippine Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Basyang has weakened into a tropical depression after it made landfall in Cortes town, Surigao del Sur at around 9 a.m. today.
Although Basyang is now a tropical depression, the entire Cebu province has been placed under Storm Signal No. 1.
The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) is now on full alert status. All police station commanders are required to give updates to the Regional Operations Tactical Center.
Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office chief Nagiel Bañacia said that the public should expect heavy flooding in downtown areas and fallen trees due to the tropical depression.
Several passengers bound for Dumaguete City, Zamboanga City and Bacolod City were also stranded in the Cebu South Bus Terminal (CSBT), according to bus terminal manager Joey Herrera.
Vallacar Transit, operator of Ceres Lines buses, has suspended all its bus trips bound for Negros Island and Zamboanga City.
Basyang has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 75 kph. It has a west northwest movement at 25 kph.