Ben Madilynn
PRESIDENT Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered concerned government agencies to ensure the early dissemination of advisories pertaining to work and class suspension during bad weather.
Marcos raised the need for the public to know whether classes or work are suspended the next day for them to make necessary adjustments.
“We will try to give the bulletin as early as possible for work and school tomorrow. Ang instruction ko sa kanila kung maaari bago tayo matulog alam na natin kung may pasok bukas o hindi para makapag-adjust naman ‘yung mga tao (My instruction to them is that, if possible, before we go to sleep, we should already know whether there’s work tomorrow or not, so that people can adjust accordingly),” Marcos said.
Residents in areas affected by the combined effects of Tropical Storm Enteng (international name:Yagi) and habagat ranted online over the late announcement, particularly on the suspension of classes, as some students were already in schools or were already on their way to school when the announcement was made.
In the National Capital Region, the Malacañang declared the suspension of classes in public and private schools around 7 a.m. while work in government agencies was canceled around 8:30 a.m.
However, Marcos assured that the National Government is closely monitoring the situation in relation to Engteng and Habagat.
“So that’s what we are watching now and we’re prepared for the aftermath of all of this, and as usual, nag-forward placement na tayo ng mga pangangailangan, we will just have to wait for the weather to see what it will do,” Marcos said.
“Hopefully, umiwas sa atin but even if it does not, we have all the elements in place to support our people na magiging… mahihirapan dahil dito sa naging Bagyong Enteng,” he added.
(Hopefully, it will avoid us, but even if it does not, we have all the necessary elements in place to support our people who will struggle because of Typhoon Enteng.)
Enteng was last spotted around 10 a.m. Monday at 115 kilometers (km) Northeast of Infanta, Quezon, or 85 km east southeast of Baler, Aurora with a maximum sustained winds of 75 km per hour (km/h) near the center, gustiness of up to 90 km/h, and central pressure of 994 hectoPascals (hPa). It was moving northwestward at 15 km/h.
The northern portion of Ilocos Norte, Apayao, the eastern portion of Kalinga (Rizal, Pinukpuk, City of Tabuk), Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, the northern portion of Aurora (Casiguran, Dilasag, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler), Polillo Islands, and the northern portion of Camarines Norte (Santa Elena, Capalonga, Jose Panganiban, Paracale, Vinzons) were placed under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) number 2 by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
TCWS number 2 was hoisted over Batanes, the rest of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the eastern portion of Pangasinan (Rosales, Asingan, Binalonan, Sison, San Manuel, Santa Maria, Balungao, San Quintin, Tayug, Umingan, Natividad, San Nicolas), Abra, the rest of Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, the rest of Aurora, Nueva Ecija, the eastern portion of Pampanga (Candaba), the eastern portion of Bulacan (Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, City of San Jose del Monte, Obando, City of Meycauayan, Bocaue, Balagtas, Bustos, Baliuag, Pandi, Santa Maria, Marilao, Angat, San Rafael, San Ildefonso, San Miguel), Metro Manila, the rest of Quezon, Rizal, Laguna, the eastern portion of Batangas (San Juan, Santo Tomas, City of Tanauan, Lipa City, Malvar, Balete, Padre Garcia, Rosario), Marinduque, the rest of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and Albay.
Enteng is forecast to make landfall over Isabela or Cagayan Monday afternoon or evening, although a landfall over northern Aurora is not ruled out as of Monday afternoon.
It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Wednesday, September 4. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)
