Classes Suspended in 6 Towns in S. Cotabato Due to Heavy Rains

General Santos City — Classes were suspended in six municipalities in South Cotabato province on Thursday morning due to the continuing heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon.

Milagros Lorca, head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), said the class suspensions were based on an advisory issued by South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes.

She said the governor specifically directed the mayors of the province’s 10 towns and lone city to monitor the situation in their areas and declare class suspensions if necessary.

The class suspensions in all levels were declared in the municipalities of Tupi, Surallah, Tampakan, Banga, Norala and T’boli.

“We’re currently coordinating with the other local government units and our local DRRM offices for the monitoring of our flood and landslide-prone areas,” Lorca said.

The rains in parts of the province started on Wednesday night and intensified on Thursday morning.

Lorca said the municipal government of Tupi was the first local government unit that declared the class suspension from the pre-school to the college levels.

She said Mayor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. issued the declaration as the heavy rains in the area were accompanied by strong winds.

T’boli Mayor Dibu Tuan said he declared the class suspension to ensure the safety of students or learners and other local residents from possible disasters.

“We’re continuously monitoring the situation in some of our far-flung barangays, especially those that are prone to floods and landslides,” he said.

The municipal governments of Lake Sebu and Sto. Nino did not issue class suspensions as the rains in the area were considered moderate.

Roberto Bagong, Lake Sebu Municipal DRRM Office head, said they are no schools in the municipality that are within the identified landslide and flood-prone areas.

“We have alerted our barangay disaster action teams for possible calamities due to the situation,” he said.

In Koronadal City, city administrator Cyrus Urbano said Mayor Peter Miguel did not issue a class suspension as the rains have slowed down in some areas.

But he said the mayor directed the Department of Education’s city division and local school heads to monitor the situation and declare class suspensions if needed.

The local Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) office said the rest of Mindanao is experiencing cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms.

It identified Zamboanga peninsula, Southern and Northern Mindanao as areas to experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms within the day.

It said moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest to south will prevail over Luzon and Western Visayas. (PNA) JMC/AVE&NYP&EOF