Longer break for 3 schools

CEBU, Philippines - The rest of the country may be back to school after the rainy Christmas break but those schools affected by tropical storm Seniang have no choice but to go on an extended break.

Department of Education Cebu province schools division superintendent Arden Monisit yesterday said he granted the request of Argao cluster principal Elma Larumbe to defer for a week the resumption of classes in an upland school.

The road leading to the Calagasan National High School was still impassable as of the Sunday inspection of Larumbe which prompted the local school head to request for one week class suspension.

Landslide caused roadblocks following the devastation of Seniang shortly before the year ended, specifically along the southern half of Cebu Province.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources Central Visayas spokesman Eddie Llamedo said Calagasan will be included in this Tuesday’s inspection of areas affected by Seniang by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau.

“Initially, Calagasan is not among the areas to be inspected. But, we will include Calagasan, Argao, for an ocular inspection on Tuesday, January 6. Although, based on the August 2012 geohazards mapping and assessment results, the barangay is rated moderate to high landslides susceptibility rating. Meaning, the area has a steeper slope, moderately withered type of soil, and presence of tension cracks,” Llamedo explained.

During the 2012 assessment the barangay was rated moderate to high but it could advance especially with intense and prolonged rains.

The DENR spokesman inferred that the heavy rains dumped by Seniang could have been a “big factor that led to the landslide.”

Meanwhile, in Pinamungajan, southwestern Cebu, the officer in charge of Pinamungajan district 1 reported that two classrooms in two different schools were wrecked after a tree fell on them during the typhoon.

An uprooted Gmelina tree totally damaged the roof of one classroom in the Tupas Elementary School while branches of another fallen tree likewise damaged the roof of a classroom in the Lut-od Elementary School.

Both classroom buildings were not insured, which means funding for the repair will either be shouldered by DepEd or through private sponsors.

As most classes resume today, tail-end of a cold front will continue to affect Visayas region, specifically the eastern section.

As defined by PAGASA website, tail-end of a cold front is the front boundary of two air masses found in the mid-latitudes associated with rainfall and cloudiness over the affected area mostly the northern portion of the country as it is in this time of the year where the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing winter.

Furthermore, moderate to strong winds blowing from northeast will be felt in Luzon and Visayas.

With this, coastal waters in these areas will be moderate to rough and thus small sea crafts as well as fishermen are advised to take extra caution.  — /BRP (FREEMAN)