Manila: Provinces in Visayas and one city in Mindanao suspended classes on Monday due to the expected impact of Severe Tropical Storm Tino, the country’s 20th tropical cyclone this year.

According to Philippines News Agency, many areas have suspended classes up to Wednesday as Tino is forecast to move generally westward over the next three days. It will make its initial landfall over Eastern Samar or Dinagat Islands late Monday evening or early Tuesday morning.

In Central Visayas, classes at all levels have been suspended in Bohol and Cebu province, with specific areas like Alcantara, Alegria, Aloguinsan, Argao, Asturias, Badian, and many others affected until Wednesday. Similarly, various municipalities in Eastern Visayas like Biliran, Culaba, and Eastern Samar have also suspended classes until Tuesday. Leyte and its surrounding areas, including Abuyog, Bato, and Tacloban City, are following suit with class suspensions continuing until Tuesday.

Negros Island Region is also seeing widespread class suspensions, particularly in cities such as Bago, Cadiz, and Bacolod, where face-to-face classes are expected to remain suspended until Tuesday. Western Visayas provinces like Aklan, Antique, and Capiz, as well as Iloilo province and city, have implemented similar measures with face-to-face classes halted until mid-week.

Butuan City in the Caraga Region has also suspended face-to-face classes in all levels of public schools on Monday. Based on its 5 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Tino may reach typhoon category within the next 24 hours. It added that the possibility of reaching the super typhoon category is not ruled out.