Cebu LGUs on alert due to 'Basyang'

Local

SEVERAL local government units in Cebu are on heightened alert as authorities brace for the possible impact of Tropical Depression Basyang, with some towns already deciding to suspend in-person classes.

Mayor Nestor Archival announced on Wednesday, Feb.4, that Cebu City has been placed under Blue Alert status during a coordination meeting of the Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC).

The move signals intensified monitoring and preparedness to respond to emergencies, particularly in areas prone to flooding and landslides.

“Following our assessment, Cebu City is now under Blue Alert. This means we are tightening monitoring and standing ready to respond to any emergency,” Archival said. “I also directed all barangays to activate their disaster preparedness plans and stay on standby."

Archival said disaster response teams are already deploying in both the North and South areas of the city, with equipment and supplies ready for immediate use.

He urged residents to prepare essential supplies, secure their homes, and stay vigilant, especially those living in flood- and landslide-prone areas.

“We must work together to protect our communities. Preparedness and vigilance can save lives, and we encourage everyone to remain alert as Basyang approaches," he added.

Class suspension

Several local government units across Cebu province have already acted to protect students and school personnel.

As of 3 p.m. on Wednesday, towns and cities of Danao, Carmen, Compostela, Cordova, Catmon, Sogod, and Daanbantayan have suspended face-to-face classes in public and private schools from February 4 to 6.

Daanbantayan has extended the suspension to include modular learning on Friday, February 6, as the town expects heavy rainfall.

Local officials said the suspensions are precautionary measures to ensure the safety of students, teachers, non-teaching personnel, and the public amid the approaching tropical depression.

Where is Basyang?

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported that Basyang was located 735 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, at 11 a.m. on Wednesday.

The tropical depression was packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 70 kph. Although the center remains over the Philippine Sea east of Mindanao, its wide circulation, combined with the northeast monsoon, is expected to affect large portions of the Visayas, including Cebu.

Pagasa warned that Basyang is forecast to make initial landfall over eastern Mindanao between Thursday night, February 5, and early Friday.

The storm is expected to cross northeastern Mindanao and move through Central and Western Visayas, including Cebu, before emerging over the Sulu Sea by Saturday, February 7.

Officials noted that hazardous weather conditions could still affect areas outside the projected path, with strong to gale-force gusts likely in coastal and upland locations.

Mariners, particularly small fishing boat operators and motorbanca crews, have been urged to take precautionary measures or avoid sea travel due to rough to very rough sea conditions.

Sarok Festival postponed

Additionally, the town of Consolacion said the annual Sarok Festival has been postponed to February 7, a day after its original date, due to the threat posed by Tropical Storm Basyang.

According to the local government, the decision was a proactive measure to ensure the safety of residents while still preserving the festival’s meaning.

The Sarok Festival celebrates the town’s agricultural heritage, tracing back to when farming was the main livelihood of its residents.

The festival is named after the “sarok,” a traditional wide-brimmed hat made of palm or straw, worn by farmers to protect themselves from the sun while working in the fields.(MyTVCebu)