Monsoon rain, floods persist; 7 still missing

Classes, government work in NCR, 10 provinces suspended today

MANILA, Philippines — At least seven people are still missing following the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm Crising (international name Wipha) and the southwest monsoon.

Heavy rains and flooding were experienced in Metro Manila and many other parts of the country yesterday due to the monsoon, even after Crising had left the Philippine area of responsibility.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) hoisted the “orange” rainfall warning in Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan and parts of Batangas and Laguna before noon yesterday. This was revised last night to “red,” the highest alert for “torrential” rainfall, for Metro Manila, Bataan and parts of Bulacan.

Classes in all levels both public and private and work in government offices in Metro Manila and several other areas will remain suspended today.

Covered by the work and class suspensions, apart from Metro Manila, are the provinces of Pangasinan, Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal and Occidental Mindoro.

According to the flood alert from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the following roads became off-limits after floodwaters rose up to over two feet: España Boulevard in the intersections of Lacson and Antipolo in Manila; Magallanes-Pasong Tamo area in Makati City; and portions of Araneta Avenue, A. Bonifacio-Balintawak, Commonwealth Avenue, Regalado Highway and EDSA-Balintawak in Quezon City.

Meanwhile, the EDSA-Shaw Boulevard tunnel in Mandaluyong City, Carlos Palanca Street, Rizal Avenue, España Boulevard, Taft Avenue, Roxas Boulevard, Quirino Avenue and Abad Santos in Manila, Magallanes and EDSA-Ayala in Makati City, Andrews Avenue and EDSA-Roxas Boulevard in Pasay City, MIA Road in Parañaque City, Commonwealth Avenue, Mindanao Avenue, EDSA-P. Tuazon, EDSA-Dario Bridge, and E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City were also flooded but remained passable to vehicles.

The MMDA also suspended the number coding yesterday. Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation announced free rides in the Metro Rail Transit Line 3, and Light Rail Transit Lines 1 and 2 starting noon yesterday, following orders from President Marcos.

The DOTr also deployed buses of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Philippine Ports Authority to transport stranded passengers from Manila to Angono, Rizal, Fairview in Quezon City and Alabang in Muntinlupa City.

DILG announces class suspensions

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) announced the suspension of classes today. Gomez said Remulla was au[1]thorized to make the announcement in behalf of Malacañang.

According to the Office of Civil Defense and the Cabinet cluster on disaster response, class suspensions will take effect in Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Pangasinan, Tarlac and Occidental Mindoro.

In an advisory at 5 p.m. yesterday, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso announced face-to-face classes in all levels of public and private schools in Manila will be suspended today, and ordered schools to “shift to online classes (alternative delivery mode).”

The DILG warned residents in landslide-prone areas to remain vigilant, as heavy rainfall continues to increase the risk of soil movement.

In a statement, the agency admitted the government was “lousy” in issuing timely advisories yesterday, and vowed to improve response efforts moving forward.

“There is no tropical cyclone yet, but the monsoon rains may persist until Thursday,” the DILG said.

For government offices, work is also suspended, except for essential personnel who are expected to report for duty. Heads of agencies are authorized to determine whether work in their respective offices will continue.

Private sector employers, meanwhile, have discretion to decide whether to suspend work or not.

“Let’s all stay safe. We cannot control the weather, but we can prepare for it,” the DILG said.

As of noon yesterday, 230 people are still stranded in 18 ports nationwide, the PCG reported.

As per latest data from the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Monitoring Center (NDRRMC), five people died during the storm – two from Cagayan province, and one each from Lanao del Sur, Camiguin and Davao Occidental.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Council of Negros Occidental reported six persons died in the province as of July 21 due to Crising and the southwest monsoon.

According to provincial disaster risk reduction management officer Irene Bel Plotena, four died of drowning in Binalbagan town and in the cities of Himamaylan and Sagay, while two died of electrocution in Hinobaan town. The NDRRMC has yet to confirm if these numbers will be included in the official list of casualties.

In Pampanga, at least 54 barangays have been affected by flooding as of Sunday noon.

Dams overflowing

Both the La Mesa Dam and Wawa Dam reached their spill levels yesterday afternoon, which threatened increased flooding in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.

As of 5 p.m., La Mesa Dam in Quezon City reached 80.17 meters, which meant it was already “overflowing,” according to the state weather bureau.

The dam’s excess water flows directly into Tullahan River, which could affect low-lying areas in Quezon City, Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela.

Monitoring from Malabon’s disaster risk reduction and management office shows that Tullahan River, measured at Tinajeros Bridge, remains below critical level at 11.90 meters as of 4 p.m.

Wawa Dam in Rodriguez, Rizal, has also peaked at 135.69 meters, slightly above its maximum capacity of 135 meters. Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto announced that the city has been placed under red alert status, warning that the Marikina River could rise rapidly and cause flooding in barangays Santolan and Sta. Lucia, as well as communities along the Manggahan Floodway.

Both dams have been at critical levels since the weekend due to persistent rains from the southwest monsoon.

“Wawa is one of the causes why Marikina River’s rising fast,” Marikina Mayor Maan Teodoro told dzMM on Monday.

Marikina has already raised the second alarm as the river reached 16.9 meters at 5:44 p.m., signaling that residents in nearby low-lying areas may need to be evacuated preemptively.

Besides Marikina River, Wawa’s spillover water will pass through Pasig River, San Juan River, the main Laguna de Bay river basin and other tributaries, potentially causing flooding in low-lying communities within eastern Metro Manila, as well as parts of Rizal and Laguna.

Teodoro said over 30 evacuation centers in her city are prepared to accommodate up to 30,000 people, with some residents experiencing only localized flooding in areas near the creek that has since subsided.

If Marikina River reaches 18 meters, the third alarm will be raised and all residents nearby will be forced to evacuate.

Elsewhere, three dams in Luzon have already opened their floodgates to release excess water, according to PAGASA.

Binga Dam and Ambuklao Dam, located in the towns of Itogon and Bokod in Benguet, have increased the number of open gates. Binga Dam now has six gates open as of 8 a.m. yesterday, up from two on Sunday, and Ambuklao Dam has lifted four gates from one.

Ipo Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan has opened one gate, although its water level slightly went up from 100.5 meters on Sunday to 100.54 yesterday morning.

Meanwhile, the Bustos Dam, also in Bulacan, has temporarily stopped releasing irrigation water to prevent standing rice crops from getting water logged due to heavy rains.

The state weather bureau added that other dams remain well below capacity.

Class suspensions yesterday

By 1 p.m. yesterday, Malacañang suspended classes in all levels and work in government offices in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Other local government units, such as Quezon City, already suspended classes in public schools by morning.

Through Memorandum Circular 88, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin suspended all classes and government work in Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, Batangas, Laguna, Pampanga, Zambales and Bataan.

The suspension of work, however, did not cover agencies “whose functions involve the delivery of basic and health services, preparedness/response to disasters and calamities, and/or the performance of other vital services shall continue with their operations and render the necessary services.”

“The suspension of work for private companies and offices is left to the discretion of their respective heads,” the memo said.

According to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), workers are not entitled to daily pay during work suspension

In an advisory, DOLE noted that in the exercise of management prerogative, employers may suspend work to ensure the safety and health of workers during weather disturbances.

Elsewhere in the country, class suspensions in all levels were imposed in the towns of Sto. Tomas, Agoo, Pugo, Tubao, Aringay, Caba and Rosario in La Union.

In nearby Pangasinan, government work and classes in all levels, both private and public were suspended by 3 p.m. yesterday following orders from the provincial government.

Roads reopened

The Department of Public Works and Highways said it has reopened 12 national road sections, while four road sections remained impassable as of yesterday morning.

The DPWH identified the four roads with sections that remain impassable as the Apayao (Calanasan)-Ilocos Norte Road, in Tanglagan, Calanasan, Apayao, due to high water elevation; the Claveria-Calanasan-Flora-Lasam Road, Barangay Ninoy, Calanasan, Apayao, due to a road cut; Kennon Road, Camp 6 in Tuba, Benguet, due to soil collapse; and the Liloy-Siocon Road, in Tubongon, Baliguian, Zamboanga del Norte, due to landslide.

The DPWH said that there were three roads with sections that are limited access: the Bigaa-Plaridel via Bulacan & Malolos Road, Barangay Panginay, Balagtas (Bigaa), Bulacan, which was passable to heavy vehicles only due to flooding; the Bato Bridge along Amungan – Palauig-Banlog Road, Barangay Bato, Palauig, Zambales, which was passable to light vehicles only as precautionary measure; and Diokno Highway, K0087+020, Batangas, passable to light vehicles only due to road slip.

The DPWH said that they have tallied the partial cost of damage to public infrastructure at an estimated P526.81 million.

Stable power supply

The power supply situation across the country has largely returned to normal following disruptions caused by Crising or Wipha and the southwest monsoon, according to the Department of Energy.

Some areas in the Cordillera Administrative Region, however, continue to suffer from power outages.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and actively assisting our local distribution utilities, Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said, urging concerned entities to accelerate power restoration in affected areas.

In rural areas, the National Electrification Administration estimated about P1.15 million in infrastructure damage to the power distribution networks of some electric cooperatives.

Based on the latest monitoring, power distribution issues in Benguet, Mountain Province and Zambales remain unresolved.

LPAs spotted

Two low pressure areas (LPA) inside the PAR are being monitored if they could develop into a single tropical cyclone.

The first LPA was spotted at 1,220 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon, while the second LPA was found at 405 kilometers east of Calayan in Cagayan province, PAGASA said in its 24-hour public weather forecast issued at 4 p.m. yesterday.

Both LPAs have “medium” likelihood of being formed into tropical cyclones, noted the state weather bureau.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon will continue soaking most parts of the country, with “monsoon rains” expected over Metro Manila, Calabarzon, and the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan and Occidental Mindoro.

In another weather advisory, PAGASA said some 100 to 200 millimeters of rainfall will drench Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas and Rizal, while between 50 to 100 millimeters of rains will pour over Pangasinan, Tarlac, Laguna, Quezon and Occidental Mindoro today. — Helen Flores, EJ Macababbad, Brix Lelis, Gilbert Bayoran, Evelyn Macairan, Mark Ernest Villeza, Ramon Efren Lazaro, Mayen Jaymalin, Jun Elias, Cesar Ramirez, Daphne Galvez, Neil Jayson Servallos, Delon Porcalla, Rainier Allan Ronda, Ric Sapnu