No PGMA yet schoolkids’ program continue
Intermittent heavy rains, strong winds and thunderstorms caused President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and party to cancel yesterday’s planned Iloilo visit.
Yet for hundreds of eager public schoolchildren of the Iloilo Central Elementary School, the show must go on. In fact, while there was no President Arroyo to witness the program, it was still an all-out performance and attendance for the youngsters.
In lieu of the Presidential party were equally “presidentiable” guests led by Presidential Assistant on Education Mona Valisno, Department of Education’s (DepEd) Assistant Secretary for Program and Project Teresita G. Ensiong and Dr. Mildred Garay, officer-in-charge of DepEd Region VI.
Official word got out on the cancellation of PGMA’s arrival on a last-minute update made by Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas, Assistant Secretary Raul Banias.
Meantime, heavy rains caused anew flashfloods in the city’s perennial flood-prone areas particularly in the stretch of Tanza road. Traffic was also affected with rainwater reaching gutter-level of the city sidewalks.
Weather forecast identified a low pressure area Aurora province and Eastern Visayas. Over-all weather report though place entire Luzon and Visayas with mostly cloudy skies and scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms.
Widespread rains in Northern and Central Luzon was even feared to trigger possible landslides here.
The President would have been witness to the Education Reform Program of Iloilo Central Elementary School particularly on major subjects of English, Science and Mathematics.
Extended weather outlook placed Iloilo under continued intermittent heavy rains and thunderstorms with moderate to occasionally strong southwest coastal waters.