DepEd Tweets typhoon alerts

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Education (DepEd) has set up its own Twitter account where it can post announcements, especially regarding class suspension during typhoons.

Cristina Ganzon, DepEd Communications Unit director, said that by using Twitter, they hope to make it easier for students and parents to find out the latest DepEd bulletins on class suspensions and other important announcements on various policies and programs of the department.

“We decided to create a Twitter account to help disseminate information on class suspension,” Ganzon said. “This will also be a good way for us to post other important announcements and updates coming from the department.”

She said posting the agency’s announcement on the popular website “is an easy and cheap way to update many Filipinos.”

Disseminating information on which regions and provinces had their classes suspended due to the prevailing typhoon signal raised by the weather bureau has been a constant problem of DepEd.

Kenneth Tirado, DepEd Communications Unit officer, said students and parents with Twitter accounts only have to follow the DepEd account to get the department’s “tweets.”

No classes in Northern Luzon

Meanwhile, the DepEd cancelled classes in all levels in Baguio City and the rest of Benguet province early Monday morning as Northern Luzon braced for the arrival of super typhoon “Juan.”

Baguio Mayor Mauricio Domogan ordered all government offices in the city to close down except those involved in disaster and relief operations.

Authorities in La Trinidad, Benguet have also visited Little Kibungan, site of a massive landslide that left at least 77 people buried during last year’s typhoon “Pepeng,” to encourage four more families to flee to safer ground.

There were reports that Kabugao town in Apayao has already been isolated from the commercial center – Conner – due to a landslide that hit barangay Lenneng Monday morning, but disaster authorities in the Cordillera region have not recorded any major incidents as heavy rains have yet to arrive.

Office of Civil Defense-Cordillera engineer Jojo Valera said there is no untoward incident yet in Abra province.

A gate of the Ambuclao Dam in Bukod town, Benguet was already reportedly opened as the water level has reached 746.79 meters, less than six meters from its critical level of 752 meters.

The Binga and San Roque Dams, on the other hand, have yet to be opened.

At least 961 public schools, barangay halls, churches and gyms all over the region have been designated as evacuation centers.

Heavy equipment from the Department of Public Works and Highways were also pre-positioned in various landslide prone highways and areas in the Cordillera.

PRC, DOH on alert

Meanwhile, seven water search and rescue (WASAR) teams from the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) are on alert for possible deployment in typhoon-ravaged areas, particularly in the Cagayan Valley region.

PNRC national headquarters reported that two additional WASAR teams are also on standby.

PNRC-Isabela, La Union, Olongapo, Zambales and Pangasinan Chapters likewise alerted their WASAR teams to respond if the need arises in their respective provinces.

PNRC has 38 ambulances in Luzon, three rescue vans with collapsed structure capability and 32 rubber boats that can be used for rescue operations.

PNRC volunteers and staff are also readying emergency supplies such as blankets, hygiene kits and beddings for distribution to affected provinces. These supplies are sufficient to serve thousands of families.

So far, the PNRC recorded a total of 364 families (1,636 people) taken to evacuation centers in Cagayan, Kalinga, Isabela and La Union.

The agency is also preparing thousands of family tents to serve as emergency shelters.

The Department of Health (DOH), on the other hand, had advised local government officials in typhoon-affected areas to take necessary measures to prevent the spread of common diseases in evacuation centers.

Health experts said evacuees are very susceptible to highly infectious respiratory diseases as well as water-borne illnesses like diarrhea, thus the need to ensure potable water in evacuation centers. – Artemio Dumlao, Mayen Jaymalin