Heavy rainfalls have forced the City Government of Davao to declare cancellation of classes for elementary and secondary levels in both private and public schools on Thursday.
City Information Officer Jefry Tupas forwarded the instruction to the local media around 6:00 am.
“Due to persistent rains prevailing in the City of Davao ordered the cancellation of classes on all public and private primary and secondary levels today,” the message reads.
The message added the Office of President Duterte has also issued a similar order, citing a short statement from Malacanang.
The City Information Office of Davao has also posted the same advisory at around 7 o’clock in the morning in its social media page in Facebook.
Tupas added that the Department of Education was already informed of the order.
Meanwhile, Ateneo de Davao University has also suspended its classes on the college.
In a memo released by AdDU President Father Joel Tabora, SJ., he declared classes are cancelled for primary and secondary levels, which includes both the Junior High School and Senior High School.
“On the recommendation of the AVP [Assistant Vice President] and Samahan [AdDU College student body] President, I am calling off classes today also on the territory level due to inclement weather,” the memo added.
The tertiary body includes the college, graduate school, and college of law.
As of its 5 am weather forecast, Pagasa said the rains in Mindanao are caused by a tail end of a cold front.
Because of this, Mindanao is expected to experience moderate to heavy rains with thunderstorms in Caraga, Davao Region and Socsksargen.
Pagasa also posted in its general flood advisory for Davao Region that under present weather conditions, tail-end of a cold front affecting Mindanao, northeast monsoon is affecting Luzon and Visayas.
Meanwhile the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center issued a weather bulletin at around 9 AM it declared Orange Code on Talomo River, Matina River and Lipadas River.
Orange Code is a river warning level which necessitates pre-emptive evacuation of residents residing near the riverbanks.
Davao City is under the orange warning level, flooding is alarming with possible landslides.
The heavy rains have also affected several low-lying areas in the city; some city streets in different parts of the city were flooded.
Pagasa recommends “people living near the mountain slopes and in the low lying areas of the above mentioned river systems and the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Councils concerned to take appropriate actions.”
Pagasa also raised red warning in Davao City as of 6:40 am. The public is warned of serious flooding in low-lying areas and landslides in mountainous areas.
Orange rainfall warning is raised in Compostela Valley, Davao Occidental and Davao del Sur.
Meanwhile, yellow rainfall warning is raised in Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Agusan del Norte.
