ILOILO – Local government units and schools in this province suspended classes in elementary and high school levels yesterday due to typhoon “Tisoy”.
Schools must conduct catch-up classes to make up for a day of classes lost to the typhoon, according to Dr. Roel F. Bermejo, Iloilo schools division superintendent.
The province and the rest of Panay Island were under typhoon signal No. 2 since late afternoon of Monday by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Bermejo said the schools must endeavor to complete the required number of school days for school year 2019-2020 based on the Department of Education calendar.
How and when to hold the catch-up classes – and how long – would depend on the school administrators, said Bermejo.
“Depende sa design sang school. May schools nga naga-lengthen lang sang ila class hours in the afternoon, mga isa ka oras,” said Bermejo.
Schools may also hold catch-up classes on Saturdays, he added, but with the consent of the students’ parents.
Schools in the following areas automatically suspended classes yesterday: Pototan, Janiuay, Badiangan, Barotac Nuevo, Anilao, Dingle, Dueñas, Lambunao, Calinog, Passi City, San Enrique, Banate, Barotac Viejo, San Rafael, Bingawan, Lemery, Ajuy, Sara, Concepcion, San Dionisio, Batad, Estancia, Balasan, and Carles.
On the other hand, the local chief executives of the following areas ordered a suspension classes: San Miguel, Tigbauan, Guimbal, Oton, Leon, San Joaquin, Pavia, Maasin, New Lucena, Miag-ao, Alimodian, Mina, Igbaras, Leganes, Dumangas, Zarraga, Santa Barbara, Tubungan, and Cabatuan.
Bermejo said these local chief executives followed Executive Order (EO) No. 66 of the Office of the President “prescribing rules on the cancellation or suspension of classes and work in government offices due to typhoons, flooding, other weather disturbances, and calamities.”
These are the guidelines:
* Signal No. 1 – classes at the preschool level in the affected area shall be automatically cancelled or suspended
* Signal No. 2 – classes at the preschool, elementary and secondary levels in the affected area shall be automatically cancelled or suspended
* Signal No. 3 or higher – classes at preschool, elementary, secondary, and tertiary levels in the affected area including graduate school, as well as work in all government offices, shall be automatically cancelled or suspended.
The EO also stated that “in the absence of typhoon signal warning from Pagasa, localized cancellation or suspension of classes and work in government offices maybe implemented by local chief executives, as chairman of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council concerned, in coordination with Pagasa and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, specifically in flood-prone or high-risk areas.”
As of this writing, no school in Iloilo reported having been used as evacuation center of displaced people.
Also as of 5 p.m. yesterday, only the following areas in Panay Island were left under Typhoon Signal No. 1: Northern Aklan (Malay, Buruanga, Nabas, Ibajay) and northern Antique (Caluya, Libertad, Pandan).
“Tisoy” continued to weaken and was off the coast of Occidental Mindoro. It was moving west at 25 kph.
It had maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 200 kph.
“Tisoy” will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility tomorrow./PN
