Manila, Pasay suspend afternoon elementary, high school classes

MANILA, Philippines - Afternoon classes in elementary and high school in the cities of Manila and Pasay have also been suspended due to the sudden downpour that drenched Metro Manila Friday morning. The suspension order came shortly after the Muntinlupa City government deferred afternoon classes in its more than 90 private and public schools. Leticia Alcantara of the Department of Education’s Pasay Division office said Mayor Wenceslao “Pewee" Trinidad ordered the suspension at 10:30 a.m. All the private elementary and high schools, as well as the 29 public schools in Pasay are covered by the order. Universities and colleges are not included. Alcantara said that while students from the morning shift are not covered by the class suspension, they are allowed to go home if their parents fetch them. "Kapag sinundo na nung parents, pinapayagan na naming umuwi din (We allow them to leave with their parents)," Alcantara told GMANews.TV. She added that they have yet to receive reports of flooded streets in the city but the suspension order was primarily reached due to the "pabugsu-bugso at pabigla-biglang (sudden) rains." In Manila, the suspension order was given out by City Administrator Jesus Marzan at about 11:30, after consulting with Vice Mayor Francisco "Isko" Domagoso. In a radio dzBB interview, DepEd Metro Manila director Teresita Domalanta said the class suspension was “anticipated" given the inclement weather on Friday. "Malakas ang ulan at baka may kaunting baha. Ina-anticipate na po (The rains are heavy and there may be flooding. We are anticipating this so we suspended classes)," she said in an interview on dzBB radio. She also said the suspension order was based on the results of monitoring by the DepEd's disaster team. - GMANews.TV