The Department of Education (DepEd) directed schools and field offices nationwide to strengthen disaster preparedness measures as Super Typhoon Francisco remained inside the Philippine area of responsibility.
The directive came as Pagasa reported Tuesday morning that Francisco (international name: Mekkhala) maintained its strength while slowing down over the waters east of Northern Luzon.
Pagasa said Eastern Visayas and the Bicol Region could experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the trough of the super typhoon.
Moderate to at times heavy rains in these areas may trigger flash floods and landslides, especially in communities vulnerable to flooding and slope failures.
Mindanao, the rest of the Visayas, and Palawan were also forecast to have cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon.
Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms caused by localized weather disturbances.
DepEd’s Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service urged schools, division offices, and regional offices to monitor weather bulletins, relay updates to learners and personnel, activate disaster response teams when needed, and coordinate with local governments and disaster councils.
School officials were also told to secure buildings, learning materials, and equipment, and to preposition emergency supplies as Pagasa forecast Francisco to move generally north-northwest over the Philippine Sea while gradually intensifying.
