
THE Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center (EOC) recommended the suspension of face-to-face classes in preschool to senior high school levels in both public and private educational institutions on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, due to inclement weather conditions.
The decision is based on forecasts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) and other weather monitoring agencies, which indicated that Iloilo City will continue to experience cloudy skies with rain showers and thunderstorms.
"Moderate to heavy and at times intense rains (100-200 mm) will be experienced due to the interaction of Tropical Depression Gener and Tropical Cyclone Pulasan to the prevailing Southwest Monsoon weather system. Cloud cover for Iloilo City is still high at 100 percent," the EOC said in an advisory.
The EOC also warned of strong winds with gustiness of 25-40 kilometers per hour (km/hour) and rough to very rough seas with waves reaching 2.8 to 4.0 meters. High tide is expected to reach 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) on September 17 at 9:34 a.m.
"The Iloilo City Emergency Operations Center recommends the suspension of face-to-face classes and shifting to alternative delivery mode of instruction on September 17 in preschool to senior high school in both public and private educational institutions in the City of Iloilo," the advisory said.
The weather conditions may pose risks to the safety of students and the general public, especially in coastal barangays and low-lying areas prone to flooding.
The EOC emphasized the potential for weather-related and water-borne diseases, as well as physical injuries, particularly among school children.
The suspension of college classes is at the discretion of their respective school administrators. (SunStar Philippines)