CLASSES SUSPENDED IN 48 TOWNS/CITIES

A day after thousands of learners and students excitedly entered their classrooms on August 22 after almost two years of off-school and virtual learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, their enthusiasms were dampened by Typhoon ”’Florita” that caused the suspension of classes for the rest of the week.

When “Florita” breezed through, classes were suspended initially in 44 towns and cities in Pangasinan due to in heavy rains and eventually in all 48 towns and cities in the next four days.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMO) reported that only four towns in western Pangasinan did suspend classes on August 23.

But all towns and cities were forced to suspend classes in all levels all over Pangasinan the next day (August 24) by virtue of an executive order of Governor Ramon Guico III. Also suspended by Guico were work in all government offices.

Those that initially declared suspension of classes in all levels (from pre-school to college) initially on August 23 were Dagupan City, Bugallon, Mangatarem, Urdaneta City and Rosales.

When Pangasinan was under TC Signal No. 1, classes were suspended in Bolinao, Anda, Bani, Alaminos City, Sual, Labrador, San Carlos City, Basista, Bayambang, Bautista, Alcala, Malasiqui, Sta. Barbara, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Manaoag, Villasis, Sto. Tomas, Balungao, Pozorrubio, Sison, Binalonan, San Manuel, Tayug, San Quintin and Agno.

Among LGU executives, Dagupan City Mayor Belen Fernandez was the first to issue an executive order at past 6:00 p.m. on August 22 suspending classes and work the next day (August 23) in all government offices in the city because of the forecasted heavy rains and high tide.

It was the high tide that compounded the city’s flooding woes at the height of the typhoon. Most of the Dagupan’s communities were flooded though passable. Low-lying communities in adjacent rivers were inundated starting from 6:00 a.m. on August 23.

The  next day (August 24), Fernandez made similar order as floodwaters caused by combined rains and high tide were still high in many areas.

On August 25, Fernandez allowed government employees to return to work and college students to return to their classes. But those from pre-elementary to high school should still remain at home.

At past 1:00 p.m. on August 26, flood was still high at perennially-flooded areas at the inter-section of A. B. Fernandez Avenue, Arellano Street and M.H. Del Pilar Street and in front of YMCA all the way in front of the Dagupan City High School.

Meanwhile, Mayor Fernandez reported that a stone masonry dike was destroyed by the flood in Barangay Bacayao Sur, resulting in flooding in that village and in adjacent Bacayao Norte. (Leonardo Micua)

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