Trees sway due to strong winds from Typhoon Mawar, in Tamuning, Guam, May 24, 2023, in this screen grab obtained from social media. M.F. Peoples/via REUTERS
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Several local government units (LGUs) in Cebu decided to suspend classes for tomorrow, Friday (May 26) as the country expects bad weather due to the effects of Typhoon Mawar.
As of 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 25, five LGUs declared suspension of physical classes in all levels. These are Talisay City, Naga City, and the towns of Consolacion, Minglanilla, and San Fernando.
All localities said the move was made to provide teachers and students time to prepare for inclement weather.
San Fernando
The town of San Fernando on Thursday has already suspended its classes and will be effective up to May 26, according to Mayor Mytha Canoy’s Executive Order (EO) No. 18.
Talisay City
In Talisay City, Mayor Gerald Anthony ‘Samsam’ Gullas clarified that while no face-to-face classes would be held this Friday, schools were encouraged to do modular lessons.
“Among nasabutan sa DepED (Department of Education), that they will distribute modules today sa mga bata para tomorrow they will stay home and work on the modules,” Gullas said.
(Our agreement with DepEd (Department of Education), that they will distribute modules today for the children so that tomorrow they will stay home and work on the modules.)
Minglanilla
Meanwhile, in Minglanilla, Talisay City’s neighboring town, classes in all levels are suspended until Saturday, May 27. This was announced by Mayor Rajiv Enad.
Super typhoon Mawar
Typhoon Mawar is still expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this weekend. The typhoon briefly weakened last Wednesday before reintensifying back as a super typhoon on Thursday morning.
As of 3 a.m., Mawar’s location was 2,150 kilometers east of Southern Luzon, according to the state weather service, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kilometers per hour (kph) with a gustiness of 230 kph.
Once it enters the PAR, the typhoon will be given the local name “Betty.”
Latest forecast from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) showed that Mawar is still unlikely to make any landfall in the country.
The typhoon will remain strong as it moves west-northwest before entering the PAR between Friday to Saturday (May 26-27).
While it will not directly hit Cebu, the state weather bureau forecasted that damp weather would prevail here over the weekend due to Mawar’s effects.
READ: Super Typhoon Mawar may whip up monsoon rain in Luzon, Visayas next week
Mawar might strengthen the prevailing southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, winds, Pagasa-Mactan said. In turn, light to moderate rains are expected.
On Thursday, the local government of Daanbantayan suspended classes in all levels after Pagasa raised the Orange Rainfall alert as the northern portion of Cebu experienced moderate to heavy rains.
The brief downpour Cebu had on Thursday morning, which was felt in areas like Carmen, Catmon, Sogod, Toledo City and in Metro Cebu, was due to localized thunderstorms, based on Pagasa-Mactan’s series of thunderstorm advisories. /with reports from INQUIRER.net
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