(Update 6) Heavy rain prompts class suspension in parts of NCR, Rizal, Cavite

(Updated 9:30 a.m.) Intermittent heavy rain since Thursday night prompted the suspension of morning classes in public and private schools up to the high school levels in parts of Metro Manila and Rizal province.

 

Mayors in Parañaque City and Pateros town in Metro Manila, and Antipolo City and in Cainta in Rizal said the threat of flooding from the rain prompted them to suspend classes.

 

In Pateros, Mayor Joey Medina said morning classes up to high school in public and private schools were suspended.

 

"Ang mag-aaral para mailigtas at mailayo sa sakit nagdeklara tayo morning session sa public elementary at high school kanselado ang klase sa ating bayan (To protect students from getting sick we decided to cancel morning classes in public elementary and high schools)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio.

 

Suspension of classes in private schools will be up to the administrators, he said.

 

But Pateros town officials before 10 a.m. on Friday decided to suspend afternoon classes as well due to the threat of more rain. In a later interview on dzBB, Medina said this covers public schools from the preschool to high school levels.  

In Parañaque City, mayor Florencio Bernabe Jr. said there were no classes up to high school in private and public schools, including day-care centers.

 

"Walang pasok sa umaga (There will be no classes up to high school in the morning)," he said.

 

In Antipolo City, rescue team head Joey Marco said the mayor's office ordered the cancellation of classes up to high school as well.

 

"Sa V.V. Soliven medyo mataas sa tuhod (Floods in the V.V. Soliven area have gone above knee level)," he said.

 

Marco said some areas of Antipolo were not passable to light vehicles at the V.V. Soliven area.

 

He said the rain had started as early as 3:30 a.m.

 

In Cainta in Rizal, Mayor Dominic Ilagan said he suspended morning classes up to high schools after local disaster officers recommended it.

 

He said this covered the morning and afternoon shifts.

 

"May mga areas na under water (Some areas in Cainta are under water)," he said, adding rain had been falling intermittently since Thursday night.

 

In Angono, Rizal, Mayor Gerry Calderon also suspended classes up to the high school level for the whole day.

 

"Ang lakas ng ulan sa aming bayan kaya ang kalye umaapaw ang kalsada (The rain has flooded many streets)," he said. In Morong town in Rizal, disaster management unit officer Jerome Mateo said floods reached knee-high levels at the national road. He said classes in the elementary and high school levels were suspended for the morning. "Hanggang tuhod ang taas ng baha (The flood water reached knee levels)," he said. In Teresa town, Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council officer Jobert  Francisco told dzBB radio all classes in private and public schools are suspended for the day. Afternoon classes suspended in Pasay Citing the bad weather conditions due to intermittent heavy rain since Thursday night, Pasay City officials canceled afternoon classes up to the high school level. The Pasay City office cited weather reports that the rain may continue throughout the day, radio dzBB's Sam Nielsen reported. Cavite towns suspend classes due to rain, high tide Even in Cavite, the intermittent rain and the high tide prompted a town to suspend classes in all levels for the day. "Sinuspindi natin ang classes sa day care hanggang college (We suspended classes from day care to college)," Rosario town Mayor Jose Ricafrente Jr. said on dzBB. He said the high tide and the strong winds prompted him to decide to suspend classes for the day. In Noveleta town, Mayor Enrico Alvarez said classes were suspended in public schools in the elementary and high school levels. But Alvarez said he will leave to the discretion of private schools whether to suspend classes. He said this is for the whole day. — ELR/LBG, GMA News