CLASSES UP TO HIGH SCHOOL SUSPENDED! [EDITED]

REPORT
Classes up to high school suspended in Metro, 12 provinces
By Katherine Evangelista

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:42:00 06/22/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) Classes up to high school level are suspended Monday in Metro Manila and 12 surrounding provinces due to typhoon-spawned floods, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said in a radio interview.

Considering the risk of floods, pre-schools up to high schools will also be closed in the provinces of Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Pangasinan, Benguet, La Union and Ilocos Norte, Lapus told DZMM radio.

Further announcements will be made later after an updated forecast is issued by the state weather bureau, he said.

Local authorities have the discretion to suspend classes based on the situation in their respective areas, Lapus said.

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REPORT
Classes at all levels suspended in Metro, nearby provinces

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 17:42:00 06/22/2008

MANILA, Philippines -- Classes at all levels are suspended Monday in Metro Manila and 12 surrounding provinces due to typhoon-spawned floods, a report said.

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view/20080622-144150/Classes-at-all-levels-suspended-in-Metro-nearby-provinces

Transport Strike

The moment I left my house at around 6am, I lost all hope that classes would be called off. Since, they've already announced last night that there will still be classes even though the strike is an all-systems-go.

As we were passing by Fairview-Commonwealth, a very familiar sea of people were gathered on the streets (some clustering and taking 1-2 lanes of the road already), along the stretch of Commonwealth, waiting for public transportation to go to their work/school/destinations.

It was an unusual scene. Well, I can safely say that they were all stranded. There were no buses at all. FX Taxi, I'm not so sure...minimal to say the least. Jeeps that didn't go on strike were all full, to the point that every jeep has 4 people who were already clinging outside the entrance.

Beyond Philcoa (to UST) I really didn't know if people were stranded because I already dozed off - yes, sleeping in the car helps me a lot. And since I am the last person to be brought to school always, I get about and hour of sleep in the car.

I was brought to NCPAG at around 7:10. Then all of a sudden, Pats called, asking if there are classes. (Jamie says that there are no classes anymore, so he's confirming it with me.) Knowing that it might be a prank, I called my sources. But at the same time, I already called my dad, and asked to be fetched. (I thought, what the heck, I have not that much/no cuts in my PA121 and PA131 anyway..)

While doing so, the NCPAG SC Chair (Mich Jimenez) texted me. And since I've been trained in Journalism, I don't want na "makuryente," so I called up, and confirmed, and texted people after.

Going home, I still saw the people stranded on the streets.

So where are the promised trucks by the military? I didn't see any. But in all fairness, I saw MMDA vans and trucks transporting people. It isn't that much though to bring all of the people stranded to their destinations.

Poor them. :(