SOME local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, declared the suspension of classes on Thursday, February 5, 2026, due to Tropical Cyclone “Basyang.”
These LGUs include the cities of San Carlos, Bago, Himamaylan, Cadiz, Silay, Talisay, La Carlota, and the towns of E.B Magalona, Pontevedra, Hinigaran, Isabela, La Castellana, Moises Padilla, Cauayan, Pulupandan, and Manapla.
Some of the LGUs suspended classes until February 6, 2026.
In Bacolod City, Mayor Greg Gasataya issued Executive Order 4, series 2026, for the suspension of classes at all levels in public and private schools on February 5, upon the recommendation of the Bacolod City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (BDRRMC) and with the concurrence of the Department of Education (DepEd), due to the Yellow Heavy Rainfall Warning issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) for Bacolod City in relation to Basyang.
Gasataya said schools are encouraged to shift to modular distance learning performance tasks and projects to ensure that learning competencies are met.
He added that the Bacolod Emergency Operations Center has been placed under red alert status to ensure heightened monitoring, rapid response, and coordinated action among all concerned agencies.
Calatrava Mayor Marilyn Era also ordered the suspension of class on February 6 and February 9.
On Wednesday, Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson announced that the alert status at the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been raised to red alert status in relation to Basyang, effective 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 4, 2026, until weather conditions significantly improve.
Lacson said all provincial response clusters have been activated, including camp coordination and camp management; food and non-food items; logistics; search, rescue, and retrieval; health; law and order; clearing and civil works; and education.
For the implementation of preemptive evacuation, the governor said that it is now the call of the LGUs. (MAP)