DAVAO CITY (MindaNews/December 18) – Classes in all levels and work in government offices in the cities of Davao, Panabo and Cagayan de Oro were ordered suspended Monday due to tropical storm “Kabayan.”
At around 1 a.m. Monday, Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte declared the suspension of classes in all levels of public and private schools and work government offices via Proclamation No. 11 series of 2023.
The Proclamation stated that work in all national and local government offices, including government-owned and controlled corporations in Davao City, except for offices “performing safety and security, health, social services and disaster and emergency response services, is suspended.
Duterte left it to the discretion of private companies to suspend work or adopt a work-from-home arrangements.
In Panabo City, Mayor Jose Relampagos ordered the suspension of classes in all levels and work in government offices through Executive Order No. 310.
On Sunday, Davao Oriental province was placed under Blue Alert Status through Memorandum Order No. 10 issued by Governor Niño Sotero L. Uy Jr., as a precautionary measure in anticipation of the potential landfall of tKabayan in the coastal municipalities of the province.
Under the Blue Alert Status, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has been activated, while all response teams from various agencies are on standby.
In Cagayan de Oro City, Mayor Rolando “Klarex” Uy issued Executive Order No. 420-2023, suspending classes in both public and private pre-schools in the city due to Kabayan.
Based on the Tropical Cyclone Bulletin No. 10 issued at 8 a.m. today by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), the center of the eye of tropical storm Kabayan was estimated based on all available data over the coastal waters of Manay, Davao Oriental (07.2 °N, 126.7 °E) and will likely make a landfall in the province Monday morning.
Kabayan was moving westward at 20 km/h with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 80 km/h, Pagasa said. (Ian Carl Espinosa with a report from Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
