TACLOBAN City and some towns in Eastern Visayas have suspended classes Wednesday, September 11, in the wake of a tropical depression that will be named "Marilyn" once it enters the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Thursday, September 12.
Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez issued an executive order for the suspension of classes in all levels and government works in the city starting 1 p.m. Wednesday.
Romualdez also instructed the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Tacloban City Rescue Unit, and the Traffic Operations Management, Enforcement and Control Office (Tomeco) to be on full alert for any contingency.
Henry James Roca of the Tacloban Information Office said the city is now on "Blue Alert" status, as the mayor alerted the concerned agencies of the local government involved in emergency and response activities "to report for duty and be prepared for any eventuality."
As of 2 p.m. Wednesday, September 11, the other local government units that declared suspension of classes are Catbalogan City, Samar, elementary and secondary levels; Basey, Samar, all levels; Almeria, Biliran, all levels; Culaba, Biliran, all levels; Kawayan, Biliran, all levels; Caibiran, Biliran, all levels; Biliran, Biliran, all levels; and Naval, Biliran, all levels.
In a bulletin issued 11 a.m. Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the tropical depression is already 1,495 kilometers east of the Visayas and is moving east northeast at 15 kilometers per hour (km/h).
The weather disturbance has maximum winds of 55 km/h and gusts of up to 70 km/h.
According to Pagasa, the tropical depression "is less likely to make landfall in the country."