THIRD UPDATE: Two weather systems inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) — Dante and Emong — continues to bring rain in parts of the country. Which is why the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) declared suspension of classes and government work for Thursday, July 24.
In a post on its official Facebook page, the DILG, upon the advice of other relevant government agencies, announced #WalangPasok in the following areas:
- National Capital Region (NCR)
- Ilocos Region (Region I)
- Ilocos Norte
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- Pangasinan
- Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR)
- Abra
- Apayao
- Benguet
- Ifugao
- Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Cagayan Valley (Region II)
- Cagayan
- Nueva Vizcaya
- Central Luzon (Region III)
- Aurora
- Bataan
- Bulacan
- Nueva Ecija
- Pampanga
- Tarlac
- Zambales
- CALABARZON (Region IV-A)
- Cavite
- Laguna
- Batangas
- Rizal
- Quezon Province
- MIMAROPA (Region IV-B)
- Marinduque
- Oriental Mindoro
- Occidental Mindoro
- Palawan
- Romblon
- Bicol Region (Region V)
- Albay
- Camarines Sur
- Catanduanes
- Masbate
- Sorsogon
- Western Visayas (Region VI)
- Antique
- Iloilo
However, in a later announcement from the Malacañan Palace through Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 91, it was clarified that non-vital government employees are not required to physically report to work but their heads of agencies may impose alternative work arrangements.
Signatory of the MC, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, also said that localized suspension of classes and/or government work may still be implemented by local chief executives from areas not mentioned above.
Included in DILG’s post is a reminder to the public to avoid swimming in rivers and other bodies of water during the inclement weather; six individuals are confirmed to have died in drowning incidents.
Netizens find DILG’s manner of announcements insensitive
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla addressed the criticisms he received yesterday from netizens and celebrities after the class suspension announcement.
In a separate post on the DILG’s Facebook page, Remulla said that his jokes were just that — jokes.
“Ang daming letga. Pasensya na, pero hindi na ako magbabago ng ugali. Kung ang biro ko ay di karapat-dapat para sa inyo, tandaan ninyong wala naman akong minura, minaliit, o hinamak. Wala rin akong binola o sinabing kasinungalingan. A little humor never hurt anyone,” his statement read.
