Pagasa has put the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley under Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1 after the Low Pressure Area east of Mindanao developed into a Tropical Depression named “Crising.”
By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN
Davao Today
DAVAO CITY, Philippines – The Davao City government announced the suspension of pre-school classes tomorrow, February 19, citing the bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) issued at 5:30 PM Monday.
Pagasa has put the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley under Public Storm Warning Signal No. 1 after the Low Pressure Area east of Mindanao developed into a Tropical Depression named “Crising.”
“Davao del Sur which includes Davao City is under Signal #1. In view of the bulletin, all pre-school level classes are suspended tomorrow,” the city government posted in its Facebook account.
Pagasa said that the center of “Crising” was estimated at 750 Kilometers east of General Santos City (5.1°N, 132.3°E). Its wind velocity is expected at 45-60 Kilometers per hour (Kph).
The regions of Caraga, Davao and Soccsksargen in Mindanao, according to Pagasa, will experience cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rainshowers or thunderstorms while the rest of Mindanao provinces will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers or thunderstorms.
“Residents living in low lying and mountainous areas alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides,” the Pagasa bulletin said as it warned that sea travel for fishing boats and other small seacrafts “is risky.”
“Crising” is forecasted to move west northwest at 19 Kph. It is expected to be at 350 Km east of General Santos Tuesday afternoon, at 40 Km of Southeast of Cotabato City by Wednesday afternoon and at 220 Km Southeast of Zamboanga City Thursday afternoon.
Dodong Atillo, spokesperson for the Department of Education (DepEd)-XI, said that they are still monitoring the weather.
The DepEd Order 28 issued in 2005 and re-issued in 2011 noted that should Pagasa raised Signal No. 1, all preschool classes shall be automatically suspended. When Signal No. 2 is raised, classes from preschool to highschool shall be automatically suspended both in public and private schools and when Signal No. 3 is raised, classes in all levels shall be automatically suspended.
However, in the absence of storm warning signal, DepEd allows localized suspension which may be issued by the local government executive, division superintendent or school principal.
Pagasa has advised the public and the disaster coordinating councils concerned “to take appropriate actions.” (Marilou Aguirre-Tuburan/davaotoday.com)
