Technology and Science17 August, 20262 min read
Philippines Suspends In-Person Classes in Metro Manila and 12 Provinces as Extreme Weather Batters Country
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In-person classes suspended in Metro Manila and 12 provinces amid heavy rains, floods, and landslides. About 5.08 million people affected across 10 regions due to extreme weather.
5 outlets told this the same way.
Classes suspended as rains hit
The Philippine government suspended in-person classes in Metro Manila and 12 other provinces as heavy rains brought by tropical cyclones and the southwest monsoon continued to batter the country.
The Office of Civil Defence (OCD) said around 5.08 million people across 10 regions had been affected by extreme rainfall, with about 1.45 million families affected and 24,893 people seeking shelter in 523 evacuation centers.
The extreme weather has claimed 23 lives, injured 17 others and left one person missing, while it also damaged 1,863 houses including 182 destroyed, according to the OCD.
According to Memorandum Circular No. 127 issued by the presidential office, government agencies in Metro Manila and 12 provinces were directed to adopt alternative work arrangements, while schools shifted to alternative learning modes.
Frontline services such as health, disaster response and other essential functions were to continue operating as the rainfall triggered severe flooding and landslides across the nation.
Calamity declarations and aid
At least 50 cities and towns declared a state of calamity, with Pampanga and Cavite placing all their municipalities under the status, the OCD said. The government had provided 734.1 million pesos (about $11.93 million) in aid so far, as the extreme rainfall continued to batter the country. The Peninsula Qatar reported that the government suspended in-person classes in Metro Manila and 12 other provinces as heavy rains from tropical cyclones and the southwest monsoon continued.
VietnamPlus said the Philippine government on August 17 suspended in-person classes in Metro Manila and 12 other provinces as heavy rains continued to trigger severe flooding and landslides across the country. VietnamPlus also said schools and government agencies in affected areas were directed to adopt alternative work arrangements, except for frontline services such as health, disaster response and other essential functions.
Infrastructure strain and what next
Multiple outlets linked the disaster response strain to a “well-known flood-control corruption scandal” that left key infrastructure unfinished or poorly maintained. CGTN said the flood-control corruption scandal had left key infrastructure unfinished or poorly maintained, further straining the country's disaster response as the extreme rainfall triggered severe flooding and landslides. The Peninsula Qatar similarly described the same flood-control corruption scandal as leaving key infrastructure unfinished or poorly maintained, further straining the country's disaster response.
With 23 people dead, 17 injured and one missing, and 1,863 houses damaged including 182 destroyed, the immediate impact remained centered on evacuation centers and shelter needs. As the government kept health, disaster response and other essential functions operating while shifting schools and agencies to alternative arrangements, the next phase in the sources was continued disaster response under the calamity declarations.