Classes still suspended

CEBU, Philippines — Suspension of classes in all levels in both private and public schools in Cebu City remains in effect today due as a continuing precaution against Tropical Storm (TS) Kristine.

This, as Kristine claimed its first fatality after the man who was first reported missing last Oct. 21 after their motorbanca capsized while on its way to Pilar, Camotes Island from Ormoc City was found dead in the waters off Merida, Leyte.

According to a Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) report, while Jesse Añasco and Junrex Lanogan were rescued last Tuesday, Oct. 22, Rodulfo Villar, 70, was already dead when found.

Three fishermen from Daanbantayan, Cebu were also found and rescued after they were reported missing. Raul Arreglo, Celso Arreglo, and Christopher Cruz are now safe after they were rescued in Biasong, San Isidro, Leyte.

Another fisherman identified as Carlos “Carling” Macan Casque from Barangay Banhigan in Dalaguete, Cebu, is safe after ending up in the shores of Loon, Bohol after his pump boat ran out of fuel after leaving last Tuesday.

Wilson Ramos of PDRRMO reminded the residents, especially the fishermen, to always observe the weather and avoid sailing once inclement weather is observed.

He said they should always heed the advice of authorities to avoid any untoward incidents.

“Kung delikado gani, ayaw na paghuwat og mando, i-safety nato atong kaugalingon ug atong pamilya,” Ramos said.

Cebu City

In Cebu City, Acting Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros, though Executive Order (EO) 03-10-2024, announced late afternoon yesterday that the suspension of classes would continue to be in effect until further notice.

This came following a recommendation by the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (LDRRMC) due to the continuous and heavy rainfall and strong winds brought about by the Southwest Monsoon.

The LDRRMC said “there is reasonable basis and necessity to take precautionary measures in anticipation of any untoward incident and ensure the safety of students and teachers in preschool. elementary, secondary level, and tertiary level.”

Hontiveros, however, encouraged schools to adopt alternative modes of delivery of classroom instruction so the students would not miss a lot of lessons.

Prior to the issuance of the EO, Harold Alcontin, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) head, told reporters that as of yesterday, he received reports on strong winds in the upland areas of the city. His office also received a report on debris falling from the side of a concrete edifice on Osmen~a Boulevard, prompting the temporary closure of an adjacent road.

CCDRRMO also closed off the sidewalks around the area to ensure pedestrian safety.

As of yesterday, a blue alert status continued to be in effect. This means that that all responders were on standby and on duty, including those who were on leave.

Alcontin said that they have not received so far reports of landslides and flooding in the city, expect for fallen trees in barangays Bacayan and Guba.

“Expected ng ana tay high tide, so atoang kabarangayan atong gisuroy with Acting Mayor Dondon Hontiveros…. Atong gisuroy gyud gikan sa Mabolo paingon sa Cogon Pardo, ato silang gipa-on standby, nag-ready na sad sila (emergency responders),” Alcontin said.

He also said that at of least 85 passengers who got stranded due to the cancellation of sea travels, 25 were sheltered at the San Roque gymnasium while 60 were at the Tinago gymnasium.

“Okay man nuon ang kahimantang nila, gitagaan sad sila og pagkaon,” Alcontin said.

Cebu Province

Elsewhere in Cebu province, the PDRRMO said several sea trips to neighboring locations continue to be canceled, leaving hundreds of stranded passengers in northern Cebu.

It said that there were 32 at the Danao City Port; four at the Maya, Daanbantayan Port bound for Longon Island; and 60 at the Hagnaya, San Remigio Port bound for Santa Fe, Bantayan Island and for Masbate.

The PDRRMO already suspended tourism activities, like whale shark watching in Oslob;  Sumilon Island activities; and canyoneering activities in Badian and Alegria, due to the bad weather brought by TS Kristine.

The 51 local government units of Cebu province also declared suspension of classes at all levels yesterday.

In the whole of Central Visayas, close to 1,000 passengers were stranded after authorities prevented sea vessels from travelling, as TS Kristine continue to bring strong winds and heavy rains.

Stranded

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) District Central Visayas reported that from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. yesterday, with 126 sea vessels not allowed to sail, 953 passengers and 434 rolling cargos were left stranded.

Coast Guard Station Northern Cebu Commander Jay-r Gal Guidano, in his sea travel advisory yesterday, said that operations may resume anytime when the weather and sea conditions return to normal, as may be declared by the PAGASA.

“The seagoing rider public, coastal communities and fisher folks are advised to refrain from engaging in any sea/water-related activities to prevent any untoward incident,” he said.

PCG-Central Visayas Information Officer ENS Abel Jan V. Lomboy said that as of yesterday, there have been no reported major or minor incidents caused by TS Kristine.

Lomboy emphasized that adhering to rules and regulations set by authorities is crucial for ensuring safety during travel.

“Reminders sa mga mobiyahe ug mangingisda, always natin buksan ang radio or TV sa mga news or latest updates and also just abide sa rules and regulations implemented by authorities,” he said.

In Sorsogon, though, 87 members of the Garbo sa Lapu-Lapu, which placed fourth runner-up in the recently-concluded Kasanggayahan Festival, remain stranded in the municipality of Gubat, which is badly hit by TS Kristine.

Garry Lao, Lapu-Lapu City tourism officer and head of delegation, told The Freeman yesterday that the remaining members of their group, who are mostly propsmen, were scheduled to leave last Oct. 21 but were prevented from doing so because of the bad weather.

The group from Lapu-Lapu that joined the battle of the festivals in Sorsogon is composed of 329 members, with 200 of them leaving ahead.

“Wala sila nabiyaan ha, schedule gyud na nila on the 21st (manakay)…Sila man ang second batch nga mouli…kay dili ma-accomodate tanan sa barko. It was unfortunate that on the 21st, nga maoy ilang larga, mao puy pagsud sa bagyo (Kristine), signal no.1,” he said.

“Pagkahibawo namo nga signal no.1, si mayor (Ahong Chan) told me to coordinate with the Provincial Government of Sorsogon and at the same time with the municipality of Gubat to check on the status nga unsa na,” Lao.

Tribu Basakanon, the champion of the Kasanggayahan Festival left last Oct. 20.

“Nakauli sila petsa 20, pero sugat sila sa bagyo..Giinform gani mi nila nga pag-uli nila, bagyo na gyud daw so wa na lang ta ni gamble kay mas kuyaw na ba,” Lao said.

Communications from Sorsogon shared by Lao said that the stranded personnel and members of the Lapu-Lapu contingent are all safe at the Gubat National High School.

The Local Government of Gubat has also extended its assistance by providing food for the 87 stranded personnel and members of the contingent that also included students, Lapu-Lapu City disaster and tourism offices' staff. The town’s social welfare personnel are also with the group.

A generator set was also set up to provide the delegates basic lighting at billeting area since there was a brownout early yesterday.

Lao said Sorsogon Governor Edwin “Boboy” Hamor also instructed provincial personnel to closely monitor the remaining contingents and the situation at the billeting area and give the needed assistance.

He said LGU Gubat, led by mayor Ronnel “Nono” Lim, has also committed to supporting the contingent during their stay in Sorsogon.

“Anyway, all of the remaining 87 members of our contingent are all safe…They are in a place nga secure and more or less walay problem sa pagkaon because the Provincial government of Sorsogon and the municipality of Gubat is providing them, na-sustain pa ang pagkaon nila,” Lao said.

He also said that the Opongonons are far from the massive flooding happening in the province, as the flooding is mostly in the city of Sorsogon and Gubat is around two hours away.

Lao said they have instructed the school guards not to allow any member to leave the billeting area unless on a very important purpose.

Heightened alert

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard Deployable Response Group (DRG) was activated and all units were placed on a heightened alert status and on standby, ready for deployment as the need arises.

In a statement, DRG said that all substations already coordinated with the concerned DRRMOs for possible augmentation and deployment.

Likewise, simultaneous patrol operations of the shorelines of their respective areas of responsibility were conducted by sub-stations to disseminate to coastal communities and fisherfolks the recent weather condition and advising them not to venture out to sea.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Visayas Command (Viscom) also prepared for any Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) to mitigate potential impacts of the weather disturbance in the Visayas region.

Lieutenant General Fernando M. Reyeg, Viscom commander, assured in a statement that his command has activated their Disaster Response Team Units (DRTUs), composed of officers, enlisted personnel and CAFGU Active Auxiliary (CAA) and all their subordinate units, “ensuring they are on standby alert, ready to move immediately when ordered”.

“VISCOM is fully prepared to respond efficiently and effectively to any situation that may arise due to Tropical Storm Kristine. We have ensured that all measures are in place and are closely coordinating with relevant agencies to ensure the safety of our people in the Visayas region,” he said

Reyeg emphasized the importance of public vigilance, urging communities to heed government warnings.

 “We urge the public to stay alert, monitor weather updates, and adhere to the advisories of their local government units. Your safety is our priority, and we need everyone's cooperation, particularly in preemptive evacuations, to ensure we remain resilient through this weather disturbance,” he said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), in its General Flood Advisory #6 for Central Visayas issued at 6 p.m. yesterday and valid until 6 a.m. today, warned that watercourses that likely to be affected in Cebu are the rivers and tributaries of Kotkot, Mananga, Guinabasan, Balamban and Sabangdaku.

It advised that people living near the mountain slopes and in the low-lying areas of the said river systems and the local disaster risk management councils concerned are still advised to be alert for possible flashfloods.

It is because Kristine has intensified into a “Severe Tropical Storm” which continues to bring rains and strong winds in the Visayas.

As PAGASA issued its extended weather outlook for the Visayas, Palawan and Occidental Mindoro yesterday, it was reported that the storm was located approximately 130 kilometers east-northeast of Casiguran, Aurora, or 175 kilometers east of Echague, Isabela.

Kristine is moving northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour, with sustained winds of 95 kph and gusts reaching 115 kph.

The forecast indicated that the entire Visayas, Palawan including Kalayaan Islands, and Occidental Mindoro will experience continuous rains and gusty winds.

Engr. Al Quiblat, the head of PAGASA-Visayas, said in a phone interview that although Signal No. 2 has been removed for Eastern Visayas, including Samar and Leyte, Signal No. 1 is still in place for some areas in the Visayas region.

These include eastern Visayas, northern Cebu, and the central portions of Cebu, covering areas such as Bantayan, Daanbantayan, and Camotes Island, all the way to towards Argao in the south.

In terms of rainfall, Central Visayas will see a decreasing status, but as of yesterday, yellow rainfall warning remains in place for some areas.

The public is still encouraged to stay alert and follow local authorities’ advice. Communities are also urged to prepare for the possibility of flash floods, especially in low-lying areas and landslide-prone zones.

Meanwhile, gusty winds remain a concern, with PAGASA recording it to be at 60 kilometers per hour, categorizing the storm under Signal No. 1.

These types of winds refer to “strong, brief bursts that can vary in terms of intensity and are characterized by sudden increases in speed, sometimes accompanied by changes in direction”.

“Pwede na na makatumba og saging. (Ang) billboards pwede na malangkat maong delikado gihapon sa mga tao,” Quiblat said.

Moreover, when asked as to the possibility of Kristine making landfall, Quiblat confirmed that based on its current movement at 20 kph and a northwestward direction, its landfall projected would be in Isabela or northern Aurora in Northern Luzon.

After crossing Northern Luzon, the storm is expected to be at the West Philippine Sea by Friday afternoon or evening, exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

“That's the time nga sigurado na diha nga improved na talaga ang weather condition nato,” Quiblat. — Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon, Le Phyllis F. Antojado, Caecent No-ot Magsumbol, Jonnavie Villa (FREEMAN)