Still no classes in Baguio, several CAR provinces

August 29, 2018 Metro BLISTT

Classes in all levels in Baguio City and nearby provinces of Benguet remains suspended Friday (August 24, 2018) as continuous monsoon rains batter the extremely water-soaked mountain region.
Baguio City Mayor Mauricio Domogan suspended classes in all levels by early Friday morning, while all schools in nearby Itogon and Tublay, Benguet were also shut down from pupils and students to avoid the darn effects of the downpours.
While only preschool to high school classes were suspended in Kibungan and Atok, also both in Benguet.
Abra province which suspended classes in all levels on Thursday had only suspended classes from preschool to elementary including schools in Bokod, Buguias, Tuba, capital town of La Trinidad and Kapangan, all in Benguet.
With at least three weeks of incessant monsoon rains in the highlands, Benguet Governor Crescencio Pacalso is mulling the declaration of state of calamity in the province to access needed funds for road repair wrought by land and rock slides.
Four national roads were closed to traffic namely Kennon Road, the Benguet- Viscaya Road in barangay Beckel Lamut junction at La Trinidad, the Abra – Ilocos Norte Road in Nagaparan, Danglas Abra and sections of the Acop – Kapangan – Kibungan – Bakun road.
Multiple road slips were also reported along Halsema Highway, the main artery going to the vegetables farms in northern Benguet.
Initial damages as reported by the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said the Department of Agriculture showed a total of P44,011,512.74 in damage comprised of crops at P31,586,232.74, livestock at P640,280 and facilities with P1,100,000.
In Lacub town in Abra, there is an initial damage reported at P10,685,000. It has declared state of calamity, calling for help and needing access of emergency funds since August 14.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources reported initial damages totaling P1,247,433 with Abra having P10,350; Benguet at P1,114,583; and Mountain Province reporting P122,500 losses.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) also reported an initial 98 damaged homes (total and partial) broken down to the province of Benguet with a count of 22, Mt. Province with 38, Abra with 26 and Baguio City with 12.
Personnel from OCD said there were at least 49 land and rockslides reported in Abra, Benguet and Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga and Baguio City. Eleven road slips and eroded pathways confirmed in Baguio City, Apayao, Benguet and the Mountain Province and five flooding incidents reported in Baguio and the province of Abra.
In Mankayan, Benguet retrieval operations for lone missing monsoon victim, Luvina Julian Kidkid, is ongoing at Barangay Bedbed.
There are three reported injured in Gambang, Bakun, Benguet, Green Valley, Baguio City and Cattubo, Atok, Benguet and five casualties reported in Badiwan, Marcos Highway in Tuba town, Cattubo, Atok and Lower Dontogan in Baguio City. With reports from ACE ALEGRE / ABN