FOLLOWING the trough of the Low-Pressure Area (LPA) currently affecting Northern and Southern Mindanao, several local government units (LGUs) in the province of Davao Oriental have collectively suspended their classes and government and private offices until further notice.
LGUs that have released their respective Executive Orders (EO) since January 29 and 30, 2024, are the City of Mati, municipalities of Baganga, Governor Generoso, Cateel, Manay, Caraga, San Isidro, Boston, Tarragona, Banaybanay, and Lupon.
This is in line with Section 2 of Presidential Executive Order No. 66, series of 2012, which states that "In the absence of typhoon signals from Pagasa, localized cancellation or suspension of classes and work in government offices may be implemented by local chief executives.”
Based on the daily bulletin board by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), Davao Oriental will experience moderate to heavy rains for the next few days due to the current surge of Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) and trough of LPA, which may cause landslides and heavy flash floods, particularly in flood-prone or low-lying areas.
Currently, the Provincial Local Government Unit of Davao Oriental (PLGU-Davao Oriental) alongside its respective Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Councils (MDRRMCs) reported significant incidents of landslides in Barangay Marayag in Lupon, and highway in Barangay Aragon, Cateel. However, clearing operations are now ongoing.
Meanwhile, personnel from the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and other government members of the humanitarian disaster risk have successfully rescued families affected by flash floods in
Barangay San Miguel, Cateel and other areas in Caraga in the said province.
As of press writing, Franz Irag, Office of the Civil Defense-Davao Region (OCD-Davao) operations chief, confirmed in a media interview that around 200 individuals or close to 500 families in Davao Region have been displaced and are now staying in evacuation centers.
The official also revealed that five LGUs in the province of Davao de Oro have declared suspension of classes and work in both public and private offices. DEF