Government suspends classes, work in NCR

MANILA (2nd Update, 1:40 p.m.) -- Classes from pre-school to high school levels in Metro Manila were cancelled Tuesday morning due to rains spawned by a low pressure area (LPA) west of the capital.

The bad weather also prompted Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to cancel work at Senate at 10 a.m. while the Supreme Court suspended work in all lower courts including Sandiganbayan, Court of Appeals, and Court of Tax Appeals starting at 3 p.m.

At 2 p.m. Tuesday, House Secretary General Marilyn Barua-Yap announced the work suspension at the House of Representatives.

Malacanang, for its part, said there is no suspension of work in government offices.

The Department of Education (DepEd) announced suspension of classes in the cities of Manila, Muntinlupa, Quezon, Pasig, Makati, San Juan, Taguig, Caloocan, Pasay, Navotas, Mandaluyong, Cainta, Marikina, Parañaque and Valenzuela.

The bad weather also caused heavy traffic along the north and south-bound lanes of Edsa, the capital's busiest highway, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority said.

The following schools have announced suspension of classes:

1. University of the East
2. Assumption Antipolo
3. San Beda
4. De La Salle University College of St. Benilde
5. Central Colleges of the Philippines (High school and college)
6. De La Salle University
7. San Beda College-Manila
8. Far Eastern University
9. Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila
10. City College of Manila
11. University of Sto. Tomas
12. Letran Manila

The LPA brought heavy rains on Central and Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila and Quirino, causing flooding in some of these areas, the state weather bureau said on Tuesday.

Data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) showed the LPA dumped 11.2 millimeters per hour of rain (heavy) from Monday night until early Tuesday.

Weather forecaster Boy Soriaga said heavy rains since early Tuesday has flooded some roads in Metro Manila, making these impassable to light vehicles.

Soriaga said the LPA was last spotted at 30 kilometers north of Ambulong, Batangas.

Despite bringing heavy rains, he said, the LPA has small chance to turn into cyclone because it is in the landmass. It was expected to dissipate on Thursday.

Soriaga said except for LPA, there is no weather disturbance seen outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

In its 6:20 a.m. advisory, the Pagasa issued a yellow warning signal for some areas.

A rainfall of 10.2 millimeters (mm) are expected in Tanay in Rizal; 4 mm at Sangley Point in Cavite; 5 mm at Science Garden, Quezon City; and 3 mm at Port Area, Manila.

Under the heavy rainfall warning system, a yellow warning indicates that an expected rainfall of 7.5 mm to 15 mm within one hour is likely to continue.

Communities under this advisory are advised to be aware of the weather conditions. The bureau warned that flooding may also occur in low-lying areas.

Pagasa said the Central and Southern Luzon will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming widespread rains over Central Luzon, Quirino and Quezon provinces that may trigger flash floods and landslides.

"Residents living in low-lying areas and along mountain slopes are advised to be alert for possible occurrence of flash floods and landslides," it said.

The weather agency added Visayas and the rest of Luzon will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to northwest will prevail over Luzon and coming from southwest over Eastern Visayas.

The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest with slight to moderate seas.

State weather forecasters are expecting Metro Manila and some provinces in Luzon to have cloudy to sunny skies beginning Wednesday.

Nikos Peñaranda, forecaster at the Pagasa, said the weather disturbance is heading for an exit toward the West Philippine Sea by Thursday.

"Metro Manila will still experience some rainshowers on Wednesday morning but after that, we expect an improved weather condition. We also see the same for surrounding provinces," he said in an interview.

Another low pressure area currently in Palau is set to enter the Philippines later this week but Peñaranda said it will not develop into a tropical cyclone. (Kathrina Alvarez/Virgil Lopez/PNA/Sunnex)