SUFFERING THE CONSEQUENCES of delayed class suspensions, students and employees of San Beda University (SBU) vacated the campus after Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko” Moreno Domagoso ordered the suspension of classes for all levels effective at 12:00 p.m., as persistent rainfall brought flooding to parts of the University and surrounding areas earlier today, August 17.
At 11:40 p.m. on August 16, upon recommendation of the Manila City Risk Disaster Reduction and Management Department (MCDRRMD), Mayor Domagoso and the Manila Public Information Office announced the suspension of face-to-face classes of K-12 students, which was followed by a later announcement at around 10:00 a.m. suspending the afternoon classes of all levels, when students and classes alike were already underway. This has been the case since last Thursday, August 13.
Carrying the burden of these late suspensions, students from the collegiate level had faced risks in travelling back home as most had already arrived at campus in anticipation of the supposed classes, as reported by different collegiate campus publications. Among these risks are navigating through floodwaters in various areas of Manila such as along Taft Avenue, Malate, Ermita, and Sampaloc.
At SBU, flooding quickly rose to almost knee-level depth as the torrential downpour persisted—prompting non-teaching personnel to fix elevated platforms leading to exits to lessen the students’ exposure to the floodwaters. Around the campus, several areas were flooded, notably the St. Maur’s Hall, the Silver Gate exit area, and LRT Gate experiencing the brunt of the flooding. The Mendiola consortium were gravely affected as the entire street was severely flooded.
Nearby universities in the area were also affected by the delay in suspension as students from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) were also left stranded as floodwater rose inside the campus around noon, as students struggled to make their way home. Similar situations also befell the students from the University of East (UE) Manila and Far Eastern University (FEU) Manila as floodwaters entered parts of the campus, forcing students to remain inside the campus.
According to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), other parts of Metro Manila have become impassable as of the time the afternoon Manila class suspension was announced, such as Araneta Avenue in Quezon City and Sucat Road in Parañaque.
The continuous late announcement of suspension prompted concerns over the safety of students, despite heavy rainfall warnings being issued by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) every three hours. At the time of the first morning announcement, a Yellow Rainfall Warning forecast was already issued, which indicated ongoing and expected moderate to heavy and intense rainfall.
The worsening condition prompted the San Beda College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Student Council (SC) and the CAS Student Organization Circle (SOC) to issue a joint statement regarding the repeated late announcements of college-level class suspensions.
“College students are not waterproof,” the organizations stated, highlighting that college students also face the same risks from flooded roads, heavy rainfall, and transportation disruptions.
The CAS SC and SOC called for earlier announcements, as well as “accountability and transparency” from authorities, emphasizing that students should not have to risk their safety before a suspension is declared.
As of press time, Mayor Domagoso had announced the suspension of face-to-face classes in all levels in both public and private schools for Tuesday, August 18, citing forecasts of moderate to heavy, at times intense, rainfall throughout the day upon the recommendation of the MCDRRMD.