Classes were suspended this morning in Metro Manila. No wonder, my son waited for his school bus but it didn’t come.

The passage of commercial boats around Southern Luzon have also been suspended, spoiling the vacation plans of people who wanted to go home to provinces like Quezon, Batangas and Bicol for the long All Saints’ Day holiday, a time when Filipinos honor their dead.

And so far, the following Cebu Pacific flights for tomorrow (October 31, 2009) have been cancelled:

5J 851/852 (Zamboanga), 559/561/554 (Cebu), 781/782 (Ozamiz), 325/326 (Legazpi) 5J 379/ 380/ 381/ 382 (Cagayan de Oro), 961 (Davao), 651/652 (Tacloban), 993/994 (GenSan), 473/474 (Bacolod), 451/452 (Iloilo), 5J 521/522 (Naga), 331/332 (Kalibo), 821/822 (Virac), 108/109 (Hong Kong) and 801/802 (Singapore).

On hold at airport of origin as of Friday, Oct. 30: 5J 679 Shanghai, 804 Singapore, 502 Kuala Lumpur, 7600 Jakarta, 7522 Ho Chi Minh, 932 Bangkok and 311 Taipei

Flights 5J 582 (Cebu) and 972 (Davao) have already been cancelled.

The following Philippine Airlines (PAL) flights have also been cancelled for Oct. 31: PR819, PR820 (Manila-Davao v.v., PR453 (to General Santos); PR195, PR196 (Manila-Puerto Princesa v.v.) PR809 (to Davao); PR847 & 848 (Manila-Cebu v.v.) ; PR843 & 844 (Manila-cebu v.v.) PR853; PR189 & 190 (Manila-Roxas v.v.) ; PR391 & 392 (Tacloban-Manila v.v.); PR175 & 176 (Tagbilaran-Manila v.v.); PR191 & 192 (Tacloban-Manila v.v.) ; PR327 & 328 Kalibo-Manila v.v.); PR139 & 140 (Iloilo-Manila v.v.); PR131, 132, 133 & 134 (Bacolod-Manila v.v.); PR141 & 142 (Iloilo-Manila v.v.) PR823 (to Cebu); PR173 & 174 (Tagbilaran-Manila v.v.); PR183 (to Cagayan de Oro); PR181 & 182 (Manila-CDO v.v.) ; PR321 & 322 (Kalibo-Manila v.v.); PR281 & 282 (CDO-Manila v.v); PR123 & 124 (Zamboanga-Manila v.v.) ; PR226 (to Laoag); PR842 (Cebu-Manila); PR277 & 278 (Manila-Legaspi v.v.); PR167 & 168 (Manila-Dipolog v.v.) ; PR292 Dumaguete-Manila.

Cancelled PAL international flights for October 31 are: PR300 & 301 (Hong Kong,Manila) ; PR466 (Manila-Seoul); PR511 (Manila-Singapore) ; PR503 (Manila-Singapore); PR896 (Manila-Taipei); PR334 & 335 (Manila,Xiamen) ; PR591 & 592 (Manila, Saigon).

As of 5 p.m. of Oct. 30, the center of Typhoon Santi (international code name MIRINAE) {0921} was spotted at 230 kms East of Infanta, Quezon with maximum sustained winds of 150 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

For more updates:

By TwitterButtons.com

Affected passengers can rebook flights without charges, for travel up to 7 days. Go to CEB ticketing offices or call 7020-888 or 032 2308888

Aside from the onset of more storms, other factors likely to influence weather in the country are the tail end of the cold front, intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), ridge of high pressure area (HPA), and easterlies. There will also be a seasonal shift from Habagat to Amihan monsoon winds.

Areas expected to be affected by forthcoming storms are central and southern parts of Luzon and Visayas, with secondary tracks over Northern Mindanao.

“Rainfall distribution during October is likely to be below normal in most parts of Northern and Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Palawan, and some portions of Southern Mindanao . Southern Luzon , Bicol region including Metro Manila will likely have near normal to above normal rainfall conditions. The rest of the country is expected to experience near normal rainfall conditions,” PAGASA said.

“For December, extreme northern part of Luzon are expected to experience below normal rainfall including Mindoro, Western Visayas, Samar province, and some areas of ARMM and Northern Mindanao. The rest of the country will likely have near normal rainfall condition,” it added.

In its weather report as of 11 a.m. October 6, PAGASA said tropical storm Pepeng (Parma) remains stationary over the Luzon Sea, with maintained maximum sustained winds of 105kph near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph. No new storm signals have been raised, even though Pepeng wrought much destruction in Northern Luzon last Saturday (Oct. 3), particularly Cagayan Valley.

Work in our government office was suspended before 4 p.m. today to be able to give us ample time to return home, in preparation for the coming of supertyphoon Pepeng (international code name: Parma). The same was true in other offices, except perhaps call centers and BPOs which deal with clients abroad. Elsewhere, evacuation has started in areas believed to be targeted by the typhoon , with maximum sutained winds of 195kph.The entire country has been placed under a state of calamity.

At 1 p.m. today (October 2), Pepeng continued to move west northwest and increased its threat to the Isabela-Aurora area.

As of 10 a.m., the eye of typhoon Pepeng was located at 180 km. east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, with maximum sutained winds of 195 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 230 kph

It is forecast to move west northwest at 19 kph and expected to be 60 km east of Casiguran, Aurora by tomorrow morning (October 3). It is expected to make a landfall in Isabela, Aurora by mid Saturday, 80 km west of Laoag City by Saturday morning and 400 km west southwest of Basco, Batanes.

Storm signal no. 3 is up in Catanduanes

Storm signal No. 2 is now hoisted over Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quirino, Northern Quezon, Polilio Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur

Storm Signal No. 1 has been placed over Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, Kalinga, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Mt. Province, Ifugao, Benguet, La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, tarlac, zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Southern Quezon, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, Burias island and Northern Samar.

(via NDCC and PAGASA)

Stay tuned for more updates later…..