LGUs urged to assess need to suspend classes; rough seas strand 300 passengers 

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The local government units (LGUs) of the province of Cebu are encouraged to proactively assess their localities if there is a need for them to declare a suspension of classes due to the prevailing weather condition.

This is the call of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) as the prevailing weather condition has not only brought rains in parts of the province but has also caused rough seas which prompted several marine vessels to cancel trips in Cebu and some parts of stranding at least 300 passengers.

Read more: Rough Seas: Bohol, Leyte trips cancelled

Elviena Subang, PDRRMO information section head, said the local chief executives and disaster officers would have better capacity to assess the risks and make the necessary declarations in their localities as needed.

“The weather condition man gud is not true to all towns. Nonetheless, we urge the LGUs to make proactive measures based on their assessments,” said Subang.

The PDRRMO has also not raised a rainfall alert since only localized light rainshowers are experienced in the province.

As of noon today, July 16, two LGUs in the southern part of Cebu have declared the suspension of classes.

The municipality of Alegria suspended the classes for elementary and high school levels for both private and public schools while Ginatilan suspended classes for all elementary grade levels.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) earlier said that the cold weather in the province was caused by the southwest monsoon or the habagat and that Tropical Depression Falcon had no direct effect in the province and the Visayas.

In the 11 a.m. advisory of Pagasa, TD Falcon was last spotted at around 510 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City.

TD Falcon continues to move westward at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour (kph). It has maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gustiness of up to 70 kph.

While no gale warning has been raised in Cebu ports, several vessel trips have been suspended since this morning due to rough seas.

Lieutenant Junior Grade Michael John Encina, spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas, said at least 304 passengers had been stranded in the ports of Cebu City, Mandaue City, Bantayan and San Remigio after 16 trips bound to Bohol, Masbate, Negros Occidental and Ormoc were cancelled.

At least 37 passengers were also stranded at the port in Cordova after the captain of Motorbanca Sunriser bound for Getafe, Bohol decided to suspend the trips./dbs