‘Wilma’ forces class suspensions, trip cancellations in Cebu

Local

LOCAL governments across Cebu announced class suspensions and shifts in learning delivery for Friday,

December 5, 2025.

This as Tropical Depression Wilma moves closer to the Visayas and threatens to bring heavy rains.

Several municipalities, including Moalboal, Dalaguete, Compostela, Cordova and Santa Fe on Bantayan Island, halted all in-person classes as a safety measure.

Meanwhile, the Naga and Minglanilla towns, and cities of Talisay and Carcar opted for the Alternative Delivery Mode, allowing students to continue lessons through modular or online methods.

The highly urbanized city of Lapu-Lapu also suspended face-to-face classes, extending the cancellation to both Friday and Saturday.

Officials said the list of affected areas may grow as more local government units issue their own weather-related advisories.

TD Wilma

Wilma, which began as a low-pressure area earlier this week, intensified into a tropical depression within the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday morning, December 4.

Satellite images from Himawari-8 showed the system east of the Philippines at 8 a.m. as it continued moving toward the Visayas.

Pagasa said the disturbance formed from an LPA that developed on Monday, positioned just outside the PAR.

It moved westward the following day, during which the agency noted a “high likelihood” that it would strengthen into a tropical depression within 24 to 48 hours.

Pagasa-Mactan reported that Wilma will likely bring moderate to occasional heavy rains to Central Visayas from Thursday until Sunday, December 7.

The weather bureau reminded disaster response teams and residents in flood- and landslide-prone zones to heighten preparations.

Cancelled sea travel

Aside from classes, it also disrupted maritime travel, prompting several shipping companies to halt operations due to rough sea conditions as of 4 p.m. Thursday.

Seacat cancelled its Baybay trip scheduled for 1:15 p.m. due to rough sea conditions, while Supercat suspended its Ormoc trips set for 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m.

OceanJet likewise called off its 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. voyages to Ormoc for the same reason.

Jomalia Shipping cancelled its Danao–Consuelo trips slated for 5:30 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., while Gabisan suspended its Hilongos trip set for 9 p.m., also due to the tropical depression.

LCT Trans Olango 2 cancelled its 2 p.m. trip to Santa Rosa because of big waves, followed by LCT Jomalia, which suspended its 4 p.m. Santa Rosa trip.

SSF 26 also halted its 2:30 p.m. Santa Fe trip due to strong winds and big waves.(MyTVCebu)