WALANG PASOK: Palace orders alternative work, learning arrangements in NCR, 12 provinces on Aug. 14 amid heavy habagat rains
At A Glance
- Government offices in Metro Manila and 12 provinces have been ordered to shift to appropriate alternative work arrangements on Aug. 14 due to continuous heavy rainfall.
- Schools in the affected areas have been directed to implement alternative learning modes unless their local chief executives order otherwise.
- PAGASA raised orange rainfall warnings over Metro Manila and parts of several provinces on Friday, with flooding threatening in affected areas.
Government offices in Metro Manila and 12 provinces were ordered to shift to appropriate alternative work arrangements on Friday, Aug. 14, as heavy rains from the southwest monsoon continued to affect parts of Luzon.
Memorandum Circular No. 126, signed on Aug. 14, covers the National Capital Region and the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon, and Occidental Mindoro.
The circular also directed public and private schools in the affected areas to implement alternative learning modes for classes, unless their respective local chief executives issue different instructions.
The Office of the President said the measure was issued upon the recommendation of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and in view of heavy rainfall warnings from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) associated with the southwest monsoon, or habagat.
PAGASA's latest Heavy Rainfall Warning on Friday morning placed Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, and parts of Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, and Batangas under orange warning, indicating that flooding was threatening in affected areas.
Tarlac, parts of Cavite, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, and Laguna were under yellow warning, with flooding possible in flood-prone areas, while portions of Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Rizal, Batangas, and Quezon were experiencing light to moderate rains with occasional heavy downpours.
PAGASA's regional forecast for Metro Manila also called for cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms on Friday, with southwest winds and temperatures ranging from 25 to 28 degrees Celsius.
The weather bureau expects rainshowers and thunderstorms to continue over the capital on Saturday, followed by occasional rains from Sunday through Tuesday, with moderate southwest winds and moderate coastal conditions during the latter period.
The circular directed agencies involved in basic and health services, disaster preparedness and response, and other vital services to continue operating and rendering necessary services.
It also allowed local chief executives to impose localized cancellation or suspension of classes and government work in other areas, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations.
For the private sector, the suspension of work or the adoption of alternative work arrangements was left to management's discretion.