Pasay suspends afternoon classes in public, private schools

MANILA, Philippines – Afternoon classes in elementary and high school levels in both public and private schools in Pasay City were suspended Friday amid the possibility of a heavy downpour. In an 11:30 a.m. advisory posted on the Department of Education’s website, Superintendent Rosalinda Tongco, Pasay City Schools Division, said Pasay City Mayor Wenceslao Trinidad issued the suspension order. The city has a total of 27 public elementary and high schools, and 40 private school institutions. Soledad Soliman, Pasay City DepEd's education supervisor for private schools, said that only the Sta. Clara Parish School carried on with their classes because examinations had to be completed first. She also said that some pre-schoolers have already trooped to school when the announcement was made. The cancellation came hours after the local government of Malabon City announced the deferment of classes in all of the city’s 28 public elementary schools and seven public high schools. A radio report said that classes in Malabon were suspended due to the floods that are expected to be triggered by the high tide in the area. State weather forecasters had earlier said that the sudden downpour that left several areas in Manila flooded Thursday afternoon was caused by a low pressure area (LPA) embedded along the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). As of 2 a.m. Friday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the LPA was estimated at 280 kilometers east of Bicol. - Mark Merueñas, GMANews.TV