Rodriguez town in Rizal under state of calamity; classes suspended until Friday
Rodriguez town in Rizal province has been placed under state of calamity following days on end of heavy monsoon rain, Mayor Elyong Hernandez announced Wednesday. Classes in all levels have also been suspended until Friday in both public and private schools, the mayor said. Work for municipal employees have also been cancelled, but government staff who were assigned to do relief, rehabilitation and evacuation operations are expected at the operations center on Thursday. A state of calamity would result in appropriation of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Fund for the area, a prize freeze for 60 days for basic necessities, among others. The monsoon rain was intensified by Tropical Storm Maring, which as of 10 a.m. Wednesday accelerated further and was 500 km northeast of Itbayat, Batanes. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab/KBK, GMA News