The Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said 9,009 public schools across 15 regions have suspended in-person classes as the enhanced southwest monsoon and tropical depression Neneng continue to bring heavy rains across parts of the country.
In the latest report from the DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRM), Central Luzon had the most in-person school suspensions, with 2,766, followed by CALABARZON with 2,659 and Ilocos Region with 1,811.
767 schools in MIMAROPA, 425 in Cordillera Administrative Region, 233 in Zamboanga Peninsula, and 204 in Metro Manila also suspended face-to-face classes.
Other regions with class suspensions include Western Visayas (69), Northern Mindanao (59), Davao Region (5), SOCCSKSARGEN (4), Bicol (3), CARAGA (2), Cagayan Valley (1), and Eastern Visayas (1).
In addition to suspended classes, 81 classrooms across 29 schools have been converted into evacuation centers to house 588 families.
13 of these were located in Pampanga, while Valenzuela and Malolos Cities have five and three, respectively.
Dagupan, Occidental Mindoro, Pasig City, and Tarlac each have two evacuation centers.
The agency recommends that affected schools continuously monitor weather updates and promptly disseminate warning updates to all learners and personnel.
It also reminded field offices to remain ready to activate contingency plans, deploy School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (SDRRM) teams as needed, and ensure emergency supplies are readily available.
As of 3:00 p.m., the state weather bureau reported the center of Neneng at 405 km Northeast of Itbayat, Batanes (23.2°N, 124.8°E), with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gusts up to 55 km/h.
It is moving west-northwest at 35 km/h while the southwest monsoon affects Luzon and the western Visayas.
Zambales and Bataan are under a red rainfall warning level, while Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, and Batangas are under an orange warning with threats of flooding.
Rizal, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, and other parts of Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Tarlac, Pampanga, and Bulacan are under a yellow warning with threats of flooding in flood-prone areas. — Almira Louise S. Martinez
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