Trips cancelled, classes suspended: Bad weather until Thursday

CEBU, Philippines — It will continue to be rainy in Visayas, including Cebu, until Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, as Tropical Depression “Gener” hit parts of northern Luzon, enhancing southwest monsoon and causing light to moderate rains.

“Duna tay tropical depression nga naa karon sa tungodtungod o duol kaayo Casiguran sa Northern Luzon, so nihatak man ang habagat, so expected nato hantod pa ta sa Thursday ingon ani atong panahon,” said Engr. Al Quiblat, chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in the Visayas in an interview with The Freeman over the phone yesterday.

According to the Visayas PAGASA Regional Services Division’s (VPRSD) thunderstorm advisory issued at 5:37 p.m yesterday, some towns in Southern Cebu experienced light to moderate with at times heavy rain showers with 2.5-4.5 with occasional 7.5-15 liters/meter² per hour.

Meanwhile, PAGASA’s gale warning in Central Visayas, Western Visayas, and some parts of Eastern Visayas as of 5 p.m yesterday, showed wind force at 45-63 kph with rough to very rough sea conditions.

“Magpaabot pa ta kung mawagtang ba ning gale warning or dili kay nahimo naman gud ng tropical depression, nahimo ng bagyo ba ang LPA (low-pressure area),” explained Quiblat.

Affected Sea Trips

As the Coast Guard District Central Visayas issued a notice to mariners and travel advisories, eight Coast Guard Stations were advised to cancel sea trips due to the weather.

These CG stations were Negros Oriental, western Bohol, easter  Bohol, Camotes, Siquijor, northern Cebu, central Cebu, and southern Cebu.

PCG-Central Visayas Information Officer ENS Abel Jan Lomboy told The Freeman that as of 8 p.m yesterday, 12 passengers were stranded in Cebu.

Lomboy also confirmed that 41 vessels, 469 motorized banca, and seven rolling cargoes were also stranded in different ports.

Meanwhile, nine individuals on board a motorized banca, including the boat operator, had to swim to shore yesterday afternoon after the vessel they were on encountered engine trouble, although already near the shoreline of Brgy. Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.

From the initial report of the Coast Guard Central Visayas, the motor banca departed from Brgy. Caubian Island, Lapu-Lapu at around 11:30 a.m on the way to Brgy. Suba Basbas, also in the same city.

After it was struck by a large wave, the motorized banca’s forward portion was significantly damaged, which led to its partial submersion.

The report added that the motorized banca was identified as MBCA Sea Breeze.

All individuals were found safe, but only four were named, including Eleno Patigdas, 47, the operator of the ship; Melchor Aciano, 51; and a certain Nilo and Orlando.

In a separate interview, Police Lt. Col. Christian Torres, spokesperson for the Lapu-Lapu Police Office (LLCPO) said that Station 4 is still investigating MBCA Sea Breeze’s sail, given the Coast Guard’s advisory to cancel sea trips.

According to the LLCPO's police report, the passengers were able to jump off the ship and swim towards the shoreline, while the operator managed to dock the boat near private a resort.

Classes Cancelled

Apart from sea travel, classes in several towns and cities in Cebu Province were also suspended yesterday due to the inclement weather.

Consolidated data from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) showed that at least 16 local government units declared suspension of classes yesterday.

The towns of Tuburan, Minglanilla, Cordova, Sibonga, Santander, Balamban, Consolacion, Malabuyoc, Ginatilan and Asturias, and the cities of Naga, Carcar, Toledo,  Danao, Naga and Mandaue all announced the suspension of classes early in the morning.

Talisay City Mayor Samsam Gullas also suspended classes, but from pre-school to senior high school in public schools only. For private schools, the suspension depended on the decision of their school head.

The towns of Consolacion, Malabuyoc, Ginatilan and Naga City also suspended classes for public schools.

In Cebu City, Acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia said they will continue to monitor the weather this week to determine if classes will have to be cancelled.

According to Garcia, yesterday’s cancellation was based on the recommendation of the city’s disaster office as among proactive measures that the rainfall may bring.

Garcia said it was a collective call upon collaborating with the mayors of Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, and Talisay City.

"Wa man guy recommendation sad na iapil ang college, tertiary so, wa nato giapil,” said Garcia, explaining his initial announcement to suspend classes but did not include the college level.

He disclosed that as they were monitoring the weather early morning yesterday, the city’s disaster office then recommended suspending the classes at the college level.

Garcia said any further announcements will be made through his Facebook page or the Cebu City government page.

Garcia, however, clarified that he is only suspending the face-to-face classes as asynchronous classes will still be encouraged to avoid the discontinuity of the learning schedule.— (FREEMAN)