BACOLOD City – In response to severe weather conditions brought on by the southwest monsoon, which is currently being intensified by Tropical Storm Ferdie (internationally known as Bebinca), 23 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City, have announced a suspension of classes on September 13.
The affected cities and municipalities included Sipalay, Binalbagan, Isabela, Hinigaran, Pulupandan, Cauayan, Hinobaan, Candoni, Kabankalan, La Carlota, Himamaylan, E.B. Magalona, Murcia, Silay, Victorias, Pontevedra, Talisay, Valladolid, Cadiz, Ilog, and Moises Padilla.
In all these areas, the suspension applies to both private and public schools at all educational levels.
Meanwhile, in Bacolod City, classes from pre-school to senior high school were halted, while in Ilog and Moises Padilla, only face-to-face classes were suspended, with alternative learning modalities being adopted.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in Bacolod is actively monitoring the situation, especially in flood-prone zones.
As of the latest reports, there have been no evacuations in the city, and sea vessel operations remain unaffected.
Localized flooding has been reported in some barangays of Valladolid and San Enrique, adding to the challenges faced by residents amid the ongoing monsoon season./PN
