Several local government units (LGU) in Cebu province ordered on Friday the suspension of classes in the elementary and high school levels in anticipation of Super Typhoon Mawar.
The storm signal is now back to super typhoon category and is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday night or early Saturday morning, the state weather bureau said.
On Thursday, the towns of Minglanilla, Argao, Daanbantayan,
Consolacion and San Fernando as well as the cities of Talisay and Naga were the first to declare the suspension of classes.
The southern towns of Alcoy, Ginatilan, Sibonga, as well as Tabogon and Liloan in the north, announced Friday the start of suspension of classes at all levels to protect the learners from the effect of the incoming typhoon.
Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas said although the classes have been canceled, students should continue learning through modules.
Alfredo Quiblat Jr., the chief weather specialist at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)-Mactan, urged Cebuanos to prepare for the weather disturbance.
However, Quiblat said Mawar would not be a cause for panic since it will not make landfall anywhere in the country.
The super typhoon, he said, will enter the PAR somewhere in the ‘extreme north’ of Luzon but the consistent forecast showed that by Monday or Tuesday, it will recurve away straight to Japan.
‘Central and Eastern Visayas can expect light to moderate rain and occasionally heavy rain if there will be thunderstorms,’ Quiblat said.
Harold Alcontin, head of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (CCDRRMO), said they have prepositioned emergency response personnel and equipment in the upland area as part of the preparation for possible landslide in the upland villages.
The capital city has about 30 mountain villages, some of which have a history of landslides during bad weather.
Source: Philippines News Agency