MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) - Malacañang has ordered the suspension of college classes and work in government offices in Metro Manila and other areas Tuesday because of heavy rains and floods.
The other areas covered by Memorandum Circular No. 33, series of 2012 that was signed by Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa, Jr. are Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Bulacan, Laguna, Cavite, and Rizal.
Ochoa, in the memorandum said decision to suspend classes and work was based on a recommendation made by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) amid the heavy rains being experienced in Metro Manila and nearby provinces.
"However, those agencies whose functions involve the delivery of basic and health services, preparedness/response to disasters and calamities, and/or the performance of other vital public services shall continue with their operations and render the necessary services," the order said.
Here is the updated list of class, work suspensions on Tuesday, August 7.
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Metro Manila - college classes, government offices
Manila - all levels
Quezon City - all levels
Caloocan City - all levels
Las Piñas City - all levels
Valenzuela City - all levels
Muntinlupa City - all levels
Navotas City - all levels
Taguig City - all levels
San Juan - all levels
Pasay City - all levels
Parañaque - all levels
Makati - all levels
Marikina - all levels
Pateros - all levels
Pasig City - all levels
Malabon City - all levels
Outside Metro Manila
Zambales - college classes, government offices
Bataan - college classes, government offices
Pampanga - college classes, government offices
Pangasinan - college classes, government offices
Tarlac - college classes, government offices
Cavite - college classes, government offices
Rizal - college classes, government offices
Bulacan - college classes, government offices
Laguna province - all levels, public and private; government offices
Cavite province - all levels, public and private; government offices
Antipolo City - all levels, public and private
Taytay, Rizal - all levels, public and private; government offices
Binangonan, Rizal - all levels, public and private; government offices
Cainta, Rizal - pre-school to high school, public and private
San Pedro, Laguna - all levels; government offices
Balanga, Bataan - all levels, public and private; government offices
Rodriguez, Rizal, all levels, public and private; government offices
Kawit, Cavite - pre-school to high school, public and private; government offices
Pilar, Bataan - all levels, public and private; government offices
Teresa, Rizal - all levels, public and private; government offices
San Mateo, Rizal - all levels, public and private; government offices
Obando, Bulacan - all levels, public and private; government offices
Calumpit, Bulacan - all levels, public and private; government offices
Classes in the following schools and universities have also been suspended:
Adamson University - all classes and office work
Arellano University-Malabon - classes and office work
Asia-Pacific College - all classes
Ateneo de Manila University - all levels, grade school to graduate school
Ateneo Law School, Graduate School of Business, School of Medicine and Public Health, Salcedo campus - all classes
Centro Escolar University - all classes and office work
Colegio de San Juan de Letran - all levels
Colegio de San Lorenzo - all classes
De La Salle University - Taft, extensions - all levels
De La Salle-College of St. Benilde - all classes, office work
Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University (Bacolor and Mexico) - all classes
Emilio Aguinaldo College-Manila - all classes
Far Eastern University (Manila, Makati, East Asia College, Diliman, Cavite) - all classes
Lyceum of the Philippines University - all classes and office work
Manila Central University - all levels
Miriam College - all levels
National College of Business and Arts (Cubao, Fairview, Taytay) - all classes
National University - all levels, office work
Our Lady of Fatima University (Quezon City, Valenzuela campuses) - pre-school to high school
Pasig Catholic College - all classes
Philippine Christian University - all levels including graduate school
Philippine College of Criminology - Manila Law College
Philippine Women's University - all classes
Polytechnic University Philippines - all levels
Sacred Heart School (Malabon, Makati, Binondo, Sun Valley-Parañaque, Valenzuela, and Caloocan) - all classes
Samson College - all levels, office work
San Agustin Elementary School- Candaba - all classes
SOFA Design Institute - all classes
St. Paul College-Makati - pre-school to high school
St. Scholastica's College - all levels, including graduate school
Technological Institute of the Philippines
Trinity University of Asia - all levels, including offices
University of Sto. Tomas - all levels, including graduate school; office work suspended
University of the East - Manila and Caloocan - all levels
University of Perpetual Help- Las Piñas - all levels
University of the Philipines-Manila - all classes and office work suspended
University of the Philippines-Diliman - all classes
University of the Philippines-Los Baños - all classes
Xavier School - all classes
Death toll rises to 51
Meanwhile, the death toll from over a week of floods in the country rose to 51 as rain continued to pour, causing dams to overflow and forcing more people to flee their homes, officials said Monday.
The number of deaths, previously at 45, rose as more bodies of missing people turned up, with one man drowning early Monday, said civil defense chief Benito Ramos.
Six people remain missing, including children who went swimming despite the bad weather that began last week as Typhoon Gener approached the country, he added.
Although the Philippines escaped a direct hit, it worsened monsoon rains which continued even after the cyclone moved north, away from the Philippines.
"They have been evacuating more people since this morning. The waters are still rising because it just keeps raining," Ramos told AFP.
La Mesa Dam, the main reservoir of Metro Manila, which has a population of 15 million, began to overflow Monday, forcing the evacuation of over 1,000 residents living beside nearby waterways, the Metro Manila flood control office said.
However, more people still remain in these areas, many of them squatters who built shanties on riverbanks, said Edna Conda, duty officer at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
"Often they don't want to leave. They say they are used to floods but we don't want to take chances," she said.
In the residential suburb of Quezon City, some areas reported floodwaters reaching the second floor of buildings, forcing various government agencies to rush rubber boats to the area, Conda said.
Other parts of the capital suffered knee- to waist-deep floods snarling traffic for hours, authorities said.
Even before the dam overflowed the government had more than 9,000 people huddled in makeshift evacuation centres, such as schools and basketball courts. - with a report from Agence France-Presse
