Classes, work in gov’t still suspended in Metro Manila


By Joel Guinto
INQ7.net
Last updated 05:55pm (Mla time) 09/28/2006


(UPDATE) CLASSES in all levels and work in all government offices in Metro Manila remain suspended on Friday in the aftermath of typhoon "Milenyo" (international codename: Xangsane), a senior Cabinet official said Thursday.

However, government workers involved in security, rescue, and health services should report for work, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita told an NDCC meeting in Camp Aguinaldo.

"We had a lot of debris on the streets... We are also having difficulty restoring power," Defense Secretary and NDCC chairman Avelino Cruz Jr. said.

Provincial governors were given the discretion to suspend work and classes in their respective areas.

Ermita’s announcement supersedes Education Secretary Jesli Lapus’ statement earlier Thursday in which he declared a resumption of classes in all levels Friday.

In a live interview over GMA Network radio station dzBB, Lapus said his decision was based on information by the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) that Milenyo would be out of the country by Friday morning.