BACOLOD City – Mayor Greg Gasataya clarified why the suspension of classes and government work in the city was declared past 6 a.m. on Monday, September 1, drawing mixed reactions from netizens.
Gasataya announced the suspension of classes in all levels, both public and private schools, as well as work in government offices, in line with the public announcement of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) earlier that morning. The move was made to ensure the safety and welfare of the public due to bad weather conditions.
Some netizens, however, expressed frustration over the timing of the announcement, saying it came too late for those who had already traveled to school or work.
One Facebook user commented: “Tani nag-announce ka earlier, Nyor, gasto man bala gasolina.” Another said: “Thank you na, next time early pa tani, mayor, para indi na kami ka-gasto plete.”
The mayor’s Facebook post had already garnered more than 2,700 comments as of 12:38 p.m. on September 1.
Gasataya explained that he first saw the post from the DILG secretary at around 5:45 a.m. and immediately asked Atty. Marty Go, his secretary, to verify the information with the local DILG office.
“Declaring class suspension is a sensitive matter and needs validation. After it was confirmed by the local DILG, we declared the suspension past 6 a.m. Had the announcement come earlier, we would have issued it earlier as well,” the mayor said.
He added that while a local chief executive has the authority to declare class suspensions through an executive order if deemed necessary, in this case, the decision was aligned with the DILG directive.
Gasataya emphasized that what matters most is the city’s preparedness amid the weather disturbance.
“We hope Bacolod will not be severely affected, but the city is ready to respond during emergencies. We continue to monitor the situation,” he said.
The DILG earlier declared the suspension of classes and government work in 16 provinces./PN
