TROPICAL depression Kabayan has stranded over 1,000 passengers in Cebu.
According to Mark Larsen Mariano, commander of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Central Station Cebu, 1,295 passengers could not leave with the suspension of 234 sea voyages, as of 10:28 a.m. Monday, Dec. 18, 2023.
Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority general manager Julius Neri also told SunStar Cebu that flights to Siargao and Surigao City in Surigao del Norte, as well as flights to Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental were also canceled.
Maryknoll Lague-Bolasa of the Cebu Port Authority (CPA) Public Information Office, said the CPA canceled trips on Sunday, Dec. 17.
Passengers who went to the pier were advised to go home, she said. Trips will only resume once the PCG will give the go signal, she said.
“Passengers are not allowed to stay inside port terminals, as part of our safety measures in case of strong waves and winds,” said Bolasa
She said passengers who have nowhere else to go will be considered stranded and will be turned over to their respective local government units (LGUs) to ensure their safety.
“LGUs already have pre-identified evacuation areas for stranded passengers.” said Bolasa.
Several private schools and universities in Metro Cebu suspended classes for elementary and secondary school students.
In Cordova, Mayor Cesar Suan declared “no classes” in all elementary, secondary and tertiary public and private schools on Sunday.
“Dili nato gusto i-risgo o isa alang-alang ang health and safety sa tanang estudyante ug magtutudlo sa (We didn’t want to risk the health and safety of students teachers in) Cordova,” Suan said in a statement.
Talisay City Mayor Gerald Anthony Gullas Jr. also urged the administrators of private schools to suspend classes for the safety of students. He made no announcement for public schools in his city, as most are already on Christmas break.
Weather bureau Pagasa Visayas Director Alfredo “Al” Quiblat Jr., in an interview with SunStar Cebu, said weather conditions will improve in the next few days as Kabayan is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday, Dec. 20. In the meantime, light to moderate and occasional heavy rains are expected to occur, he said.
Signal No. 1
Quiblat said Kabayan was downgraded from a tropical storm into a tropical depression and may be re-categorized as a low pressure area (LPA).
However, as of press time, Central Visayas was still in the influence area of Kabayan, which means Cebu is still under Signal No. 1.
“Kung Signal No. 1, automatic na ni siya na dili gyud pabiyahion ang mga tanan sakyanan pang dagat (It’s automatic that sea voyages are prohibited from leaving port in areas under Signal No. 1).” said Quiblat
Quiblat asked the public to check official sources for weather updates so as not to create panic within social media, and to coordinate with disaster offices in their community.
According to a 2 p.m. Monday report from Pagasa, Kabayan had slightly weakened as it continued to accelerate in a west northwestward direction at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h).
Its center was spotted in the vicinity of Loreto, Agusan del Sur with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 75 km/h.
The weather bureau said Kabayan was moving west northwestward at a speed of 15 km/h.
Signal No. 1 remained hoisted over Southern Leyte, Leyte, the southern portion of Samar (Basey, Santa Rita, Marabut, Talalora, Villareal, Pinabacdao), the southern portion of Eastern Samar (Maydolong, Borongan City, Quinapondan, Guiuan, Lawaan, Balangiga, Lorente, Giporlos, Salcedo, Balangkayan, General Macarthur, Hernani, Mercedes), Cebu including the islands of Camotes and Bantayan, Bohol, Siquijor, Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental and Guimaras.
At 11 a.m. Monday, Pagasa issued an orange warning for heavy rainfall in Cebu, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Eastern Samar and Samar, which may flood low-lying areas and cause landslides in mountain areas.
It said Kabayan will continue to cross the rugged terrain of Mindanao and emerge over the Sulu Sea between Monday afternoon and night.
There will be a possibility of it being downgraded into an LPA while over land as it continues to weaken.
Pagasa said Kabayan will continue westward at 125 kilometers west of Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte by 11 p.m. By Tuesday, Dec. 19, it will be outside the PAR.