Classes in 32 Quezon City schools suspended for SONA

MANILA, Philippines - The City Schools Division of Quezon City has suspended classes in 32 public elementary and high schools on Monday in anticipation of heavy traffic due to President Aquino’s State of the Nation Address (SONA).

In an announcement, the Department of Education (DepEd) said classes in the following elementary schools are suspended: Commonwealth, Doña Juana, President C. Aquino, Holy Spirit, Lagro, North Fairview, Bagong Silangan, Culiat, New Era, Melencio Castelo, Payatas B, Payatas C, Payatas B Annex, Lupang Pangako, San Diego, Fairview, Benigno Aquino, Manuel L. Quezon, West Fairview, Balara and Old Balara.

Classes in the following public high schools are also suspended: Commonwealth, Batasan Hills National, Judge Feliciano Belmonte, Holy Spirit National, Lagro, North Fairview, Silangan, Culiat, New Era, Justice Cecilia Muñoz Palma and Balara.

Miriam College, located along Katipunan Avenue, also suspended work and classes on Monday.

The Ateneo Grade School will dismiss early its Grades 1 and 2 students and suspended all Grade 1 afternoon classes. No announcements were made for other grade levels.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday people could expect good weather on Monday, although there is a possibility of isolated heavy rains in Metro Manila.

Typhoon Goring (international name Halola) was forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday evening and move to southeastern Korea or southern Japan and was not expected to affect any part of the country, according to PAGASA marine meteorological services section chief Rene Paciente.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the eye of Goring was spotted at 1,095 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes with maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph.

Paciente said the low-pressure area off Tuguegarao City in Cagayan will continue to bring rains over parts of Northern Luzon until today and that light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will persist over Isabela, Cagayan, Apayao and Ilocos Norte and the islands of Batanes, Babuyan and Calayan.

The low-pressure area, he added, was unlikely to intensity into a cyclone and may dissipate while still inside the Philippine area of responsibility.

No fashion show

The Marikina City government urged yesterday lawmakers and other guests to wear Marikina-made shoes during SONA to create awareness and boost the ailing business sector.

“We are requesting the solons and other government officials to support our ailing shoe industry by considering wearing locally made Marikina shoes for the SONA,” said Mayor Del de Guzman in his letter to both houses of Congress.

Paul Sison, city public information officer, said women lawmakers are among those highlighted in previous SONA-related TV interviews, especially if they are wearing Filipiniana outfits.

“It’s okay that the lady solons are promoting Filipiniana but the sad part is most of their shoes are made in Italy or other European countries,” he said.

As many lawmakers and their spouses have always taken advantage of the nationally televised SONA to make a fashion statement, what they wear makes news and merits the same media space as what the President says in his address.

Labor group Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) reiterated its reminder for senators and congressmen, together with their spouses, to “wear simple dress and economically acceptable attire” on Monday.

The group said some lawmakers went to their favorite fashion designers for the clothing they would wear as it stressed that these people “should lead lives of simplicity and modesty as representatives of the people’s plight and aspiration.”

“The focus of the SONA is the state of well-being of tax-paying Filipinos, not the expensive clothes our lawmakers and their spouses are wearing. The essence of the gathering is not to showcase their brand new and top of the line SUVs,” the group said.

TUCP said that while the workers’ daily wage is less than P500, the SONA clothes often cost tens of thousands of pesos apiece.

Street rallies

As of yesterday afternoon, the Quezon City government has yet to issue any permit for protest activities during SONA.

In recent years, it denied requests to hold rallies in the vicinity of the Batasan complex, allowing militants to hold their programs instead in front of Ever Gotesco along Commonwealth Avenue. 

Militant groups vowed to gather at least 30,000 of their members for the rallies. – With Helen Flores, Non Alquitran, Jess Diaz, Mayen Jaymalin, Rhodina Villanueva, Paolo Romero, Danny Dangcalan