Baguio, LT mayors order half day work in government offices

July 31, 2021 Metro BLISTT

Work in all government offices was suspended Wednesday as monsoon continued to bring rains that has caused landslides not just in Baguio but also in neighboring towns.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong issued executive order 60 Wednesday morning closing all government offices by noon as strong rains batter the city for the 10th straight day that has caused the death of one person and injury to three others.
In issuing the directive, the mayor took note of the strong rains that may cause harm to people that prompted him to temporarily suspend work “to allow our workers and employees to go home early so that they may be secured in their residence…”
The order also suspended works in all offices of national government agencies but suspension of work in private business establishments and offices is up to the discretion of their respective office heads.
He likewise directed all city departments involved in providing critical emergency services and disaster risk reduction and management to maintain their staff to provide continuity in the delivery of services to the public. These offices include the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, the City Social and Welfare Development, Health Services Office, General Service, City Engineering and City Building and Architect.
The continuous rains due to the southwest monsoon that was earlier triggered by typhoon Fabian has affected 77 families of 333 individuals, totally damaged two houses and 32 partially damaged 52 landslides, 36 felled trees, blew three transformers and one collapsed road.
In the neighboring town of La Trinidad, flooding remains at Kilometer 4 and at the strawberry farm causing destruction of high value crops.
La Trinidad mayor Romeo Salda issued EO 43 also this morning suspending works in the Benguet capital starting 1 PM today.
Salda noted that “there is no let-up in the heavy downpour,…” that has caused “flooding of the road networks, canals, and the Balili River System and soil in the slopes, hills and mountains have been saturated, posing threats to life, property and infrastructure,…”
He added that “suspending work would “allow government personnel to secure their lives and property,…”
He, however, directed the MDRRMO, Engineering Office, General Services, Municipal SWDO and Municpal HSO, including the La Trinidad Operations Center to remain “open on skeleton workforce to provide services and attend to medical and other emergencies;…”
He also directed the barangay offices to assign personnel on standby to provide service to its constituents.
Pigeon Lobien/ABN