INTERIOR Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla took responsibility over the late announcement of the suspension of classes and work in government offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) and 16 other areas yesterday due to anticipated inclement weather.
“I made a mistake there,” Remulla told a press briefing, about four hours after announcing the work and class suspension on the official social media page of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) at around 6 a.m.
Aside from the NCR, also covered by the suspension were Albay, Antique, Bulacan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Cavite, Laguna, Masbate, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, Occidental Mindoro, Pampanga, Quezon, Rizal, and Sorsogon.
In the announcement, Remulla noted that heavy rains were expected in the covered areas, and that floodings were expected in Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna and Bulacan.
In the press briefing, Remulla explained that there was no early announcement of class or work suspension because as of 10 p.m. of Sunday, the weather system was tracked in other areas.
But at around 5 a.m. Monday when he woke up, Remulla said he learned that a report was sent to him that the weather system’s track has changed and that it will bring heavy rains to the areas covered by the suspension.
Remulla said the information about the change in the pattern of the weather system was sent to him at 3 a.m. when he was still asleep.
“I read it around 5 a.m.…The weather system changed course. We examined it and had a meeting for the suspension of the classes,” he said.
In an interview with dzBB radio, Remulla said: “I was still asleep at 3 a.m. That was my fault.”
He gave a big laugh when the anchor told him that the public does not expect him to be always awake to monitor the country’s weather condition.
