DILG’s Remulla admits fault in late Sept. 1 class, work suspension

Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla admitted fault in the late announcement of class and government work suspension on Monday amid the expected heavy rains.

Remulla told Dobol B TV in an interview that the predictive model for heavy rains was updated at 3 a.m. but he was only able to check the update when he woke up at 6 a.m.

“Kasalanan ko 'yan kasi predictive model as of 10 p.m., central Philippines lang ang affected. Biglang nag-shift, umakyat ang weather system, 3 a.m. ko nakuha ang notice, nagising ako 6 a.m. na,” he said.

(It was my fault because the predictive model as of 10 p.m., only central Philippines was affected. Suddenly the weather system shifted, the weather system moved up, I got the notice at 3 a.m., I woke up at 6 a.m.”

“At saka 'yung unang predictive rainfall, mababa lang, yellow lang. So 'yung 3 a.m., mataas na, tulog pa ako noon. Kasalanan ko 'yan. Umakyat bigla at nag-shift ang weather system papuntang Metro Manila,” he added.

(And then the initial predictive rainfall, it was just low, just yellow. So at 3 a.m., it was high, I was still asleep. That was my fault. The weather system suddenly moved up and shifted towards Metro Manila.)

Around 5:30 a.m. on Monday, the DILG posted the announcement for the suspension of class and government work for the same day. 

The areas with suspended class and government work on Monday are the following:

• Metro Manila
• Albay
• Antique
• Bulacan
• Camarines Norte
• Camarines Sur
• Catanduanes
• Cavite
• Laguna
• Masbate
• Negros Occidental
• Northern Samar 
• Occidental Mindoro
• Pampanga
• Quezon
• Rizal
• Sorsogon

In previous cases, the DILG was able to make the announcement a day before the date of suspension.

Asked if there are government personnel who can take over in providing information on class and work suspension during his sleeping hours, Remulla said:

“Ano kasi iyan, meron kaming chain of information bago mag-release ng final information iyan (We have a chain of information before releasing the final information),” he said. —AOL, GMA Integrated News