IMPASSABLE. A flooded road in Arteche, Eastern Samar in this Nov. 20, 2023 photo. Several local government units in Eastern Visayas suspended classes on Monday as incessant rains caused flooding in low-lying communities. (Photo courtesy of DPWH Eastern Samar)
TACLOBAN CITY – Several local government units in Eastern Visayas suspended classes on Monday as incessant rains caused flooding in low-lying communities.
Northern Samar Governor Edwin Ongchuan ordered the suspension of classes at all levels for both public and private institutions in the province due to inclement weather.
The provincial government said the suspension of work would depend on the discretion of the town mayors.
In Samar, Governor Sharee Ann Tan also issued a similar directive for the entire province to ensure the safety of learners as the region has been experiencing heavy rains due to shear line.
Before the issuance of the directive by the capitol, mayors in the towns of Gandara, Catbalogan City, and Calbiga in Samar also signed a similar directive.
In Eastern Samar, those with class suspension are the towns of Can-avid and Salcedo.
Several areas on Samar Island have not issued a suspension order but cited Department of Education Order No. 37 in 2022 regarding suspension protocols.
The document emphasizes that classes are automatically canceled in schools situated in Local Government Units issued with orange and red rainfall warnings by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
PAGASA on Monday morning placed the provinces of Northern Samar, the northern part of Eastern Samar, and the northern part of Samar province under red rainfall warning.
An orange rainfall warning was issued in the southern part of Samar and Eastern provinces.
Red rainfall advisory is issued when rainfall is more than 30 mm (millimeter) within one hour or if it has continued for the past three hours and is more than 65 mm.
The orange rainfall advisory is raised in areas where rainfall is between 15 mm and 30 mm within an hour.
Although Leyte is under a yellow rainfall warning level, town mayors of Jaro, Alangalang, Tolosa, San Miguel, Tabontabon, Leyte, Dagami, Babatngon, Burauen, Barugo, Tanauan, and Sta. Fe suspended classes due to flooding.
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways closed road sections in Laoang, Northern Samar due to minor landslides; Paranas-Taft Road that links Eastern Samar and Samar provinces due to potential landslides; and Arteche in Eastern Samar due to flooding.
PAGASA said on Monday that the shear line affecting the eastern section of Visayas is expected to dump heavy rains.
In Western Visayas, the education department has recorded 1,096 schools that shifted to modular distance learning modality due to shear line affecting the eastern section of Visayas and northeast monsoon affecting Luzon.
“The reason for the shift is not the transport strike, but rather the heavy rainfall and due to the bad weather affecting their areas. Their local chief executives and some of our school heads declared a temporary shift to modular distance learning to ensure the safety of our learners and personnel,” said Hernani Escullar Jr., regional information of DepEd Western Visayas.
Escullar said there is no more suspension but a shift to an alternative delivery mode to ensure continuous learning even in their homes.
“Out of the 1,096 that shifted to alternative delivery, 747 are elementary schools, 159 are secondary schools, 69 are integrated schools, 116 are primary schools, and five are farm schools,” he added.
Escullar advised learners and parents to wait for the announcement and clearance from their local chief executives when to resume their in-person classes, as DepEd also prioritizes the safety of everyone. (PNA)
