Authority to suspend classes now with DILG
Announcements about the suspension of classes in times of disaster or inclement weather will come from Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla from now on.
This was confirmed by Remulla himself in a message to the Inquirer on Monday afternoon.
Presidential Communications Office Secretary Dave Gomez also told Malacañang reporters that Remulla has been “authorized to make announcements on behalf of the Cabinet and the Palace.”
It was Remulla who announced on Monday afternoon the suspension of classes at all levels in both public and private schools as well as work in government offices starting at 1 p.m. in Metro Manila, Bataan, Batangas, Bulacan, Cavite, Occidental Mindoro, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Rizal, Tarlac and Zambales.
Many netizens, however, said the announcement should have been done earlier so that people could have avoided having to wade through floods caused by heavy rains due to the southwest monsoon or “habagat.”
In a dzBB radio interview, Remulla admitted it was his fault, saying he waited for President Marcos to land in the United States before he sought permission to suspend government work and classes.
“Supposedly, I should be the one to have the initiative to suspend work and classes early on. It should have been done yesterday (Sunday),” Remulla explained.
“So I’m really owning up to it—that was my fault,” he said.
Earlier this month, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) chief said he had asked Mr. Marcos to give him the authority to declare class suspensions during tropical cyclones.
According to Remulla, centralizing the authority to suspend classes under the DILG would enable more accurate and timely coordination with local government units (LGUs), especially in times of floods, typhoons and other disasters.
Under current guidelines, the power to suspend classes rests with the LGUs even though the President or the Executive Secretary can also suspend classes nationwide or in specific areas during calamities.
Classes are likewise automatically suspended depending on the level of the tropical cyclone warning signal raised in the locality by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
2 LPAs in PAR
In its 4 p.m. tropical cyclone update on Monday, Pagasa said that two low-pressure areas (LPAs) being monitored inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) have a “medium” probability of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours.
It added that Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas and Rizal would continue to experience heavy to intense rains (100 to 200 millimeters) until Tuesday noon due to the habagat.
In a bulletin on Monday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said the farm sector sustained P96.90 million in losses due to the combined effects of the monsoon and Severe Tropical Storm “Crising” (international name: Wipha).
A total of 4,665 farmers in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and Western Visayas were affected as the typhoon damaged 2,236 metric tons (MT) of agricultural produce spanning 6,037 hectares of agricultural areas.
Rice accounted for 97.17 percent or P94.16 million of the overall losses.
While the DA said the figures were still subject to verification, “further damage and losses are expected in affected regions as assessment and validation is ongoing.”
The Department of Energy, on the other hand, said the power and fuel supply situation nationwide was almost back to normal with all power generation plants online.
Power restoration efforts, however, are still continuing in certain areas in the Cordillera region, which experienced landslides and floods.
Grid operator National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, meanwhile, said no transmission lines were damaged due to the habagat and Crising.
Based on the latest report from the National Electrification Administration, three electric cooperatives are under monitoring: Benguet Electric Cooperative, Inc., Mountain Province Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Abra Electric Cooperative, Inc.
“We are closely monitoring the situation and actively assisting our local distribution utilities. We urge all concerned entities to continue proactive clearing operations, including the removal of debris and vegetation that may obstruct power lines, to accelerate restoration in affected areas,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said. —WITH REPORTS FROM LUISA CABATO AND JANE BAUTISTA
