MANILA (UPDATE) — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. has suspended work in government offices and classes in all levels in public schools in Metro Manila and select provinces, from Tuesday to Wednesday, due to severe tropical storm Florita.

Aside from Metro Manila, all work and classes are suspended in the following areas starting 1 p.m. Tuesday, according to Malacañang:

-Cavite
-Laguna
-Rizal
-Bulacan
-Zambales
-Bataan

The President heeded the recommendations of the Office of Civil Defense to suspend government work and classes in the said areas due to risks caused by heavy rains, the Office of the Press Secretary said.

"The same course of action for private schools and offices is left to the discretion of their respective heads," the statement read.

PAGASA said Florita hit land in Maconacon, Isabela at 10:30 a.m.

Florita was packing maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour near the center and up to 150 kph gusts, said the weather bureau.

PAGASA said heavy to intense with at times torrential rains will lash Cagayan, Isabela, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Zambales, and Bataan.

Moderate to heavy with at times intense rains are expected over the northern portion of Aurora, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Rizal, and the rest of Cagayan Valley. Meanwhile, light to moderate with at times heavy rains will hit the rest of Central Luzon and the rest of Calabarzon.

PAGASA at 11 a.m. raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal no. 3 over the following areas, where 121 to 170 kph winds may cause heavy damage to high-risk structures.

Northern portion of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Dumalneg, Adams, Bangui, Burgos), Apayao, the southern portion of Babuyan Islands (Camiguin Is., Fuga Is., Dalupiri Is.)

Mainland Cagayan
Northeastern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Divilacan, Maconacon, San Pablo, Tumauini, Cabagan, Santa Maria, Santo Tomas, Delfin Albano, Ilagan City, San Mariano)

Signal 2 is hoisted over the following areas, where 61 to 120 kph winds are expected in at least 24 hours, PAGASA said.

Rest of Babuyan Islands
Rest of Isabela
Quirino
Northern and eastern portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Quezon, Diadi, Bagabag, Villaverde, Solano, Kasibu)
Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao
Northern portion of Benguet (Buguias, Bakun, Mankayan, Kibungan)
Rest of Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
Northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao)

The following areas are under Signal 1, PAGASA added.

Batanes
Rest of Nueva Vizcaya
Rest of Benguet
La Union
Eastern portion of Pangasinan (Santo Tomas, Villasis, Mapandan, Mangaldan, San Fabian, San Jacinto, Manaoag, City of Urdaneta, Rosales, Balungao, Umingan, San Quintin, Natividad, San Nicolas, Tayug, Santa Maria, Asingan, San Manuel, Binalonan, Sison, Pozorrubio, Laoac, Dagupan City)
Northeastern portion of Tarlac (San Manuel, Anao)
Nueva Ecija
Rest of Aurora
Florita will continue moving northwestward and is forecast to cross the northern portion of Isabela and mainland Cagayan. It will emerge over the Babuyan Channel on Tuesday night and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday morning, PAGASA said.

SC, COURTS SUSPEND WORK

The Supreme Court (SC) on Tuesday also suspended work on Wednesday due to Florita, in accordance with the President's suspension order.

"Suspension of work will be implemented in the different offices in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, August 24, 2022," Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said in a memo.

"The suspension will prevent any untoward incidents and will ensure safety of the Justices, officials, and employees," his memo further read.

Meanwhile, lower courts, including Regional and Municipal Trial Courts, in Metro Manila, Laguna, Cavite, Rizal, Bulacan, Zambales and Bataan also suspended work starting 3:20 p.m. Tuesday until Wednesday.

Courts outside the said areas may also suspend work depending on the discretion of their executive judges.

DFA SUSPENDS WORK IN SOME CONSULAR OFFICES

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also announced Tuesday afternoon that it has suspended work in its consular offices (CO) in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte and Santiago, Isabela,and Tuguegarao City, still due to Florita.

"This is due to the declaration made by their respective local authorities on the suspension of work in all government offices in their areas due to inclement weather caused by Florita," the DFA said in an advisory.

"Affected passport applicants scheduled at the said COs with confirmed appointments who were unable to avail of consular services due to the suspension of operations will receive an email/SMS from the COs informing them of their new appointment date," the department added.

—with reports from Mike Navallo and Raffy Cabristante, ABS-CBN News