Tropical typhoon “Basyang” (international name: Coscon) has weakened into a storm as it made landfall over the Northern Quezon area Tuesday night, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Tuesday evening.

"Basyang" is also expected to cross Central Luzon on Wednesday morning (July 14) on its way to South China Sea.

Pagasa assistant weather services chief Robert Sawi earlier said typhoon “Basyang” has gained strength in the last 12 hours on Tuesday, prompting the Pagasa to raise public storm warning signals in at least 30 areas in Luzon.

As of 11 p.m. Tuesday, “Basyang” was estimated to be at the vicinity of Infanta, Quezon.

The storm is now moving west at a speed of 22 kilometers per hour (kph), with maximum sustained winds of 95 kph and gustiness of up to 120 kph.

Sawi said the storm will cross Central Luzon tonight (July 13) until Wednesday morning going to the South China Sea.

"Basyang" is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday evening (July 14).

Based on the Pagasa’s 11 p.m. bulletin, public storm signal No. 2 has been hoisted over Camarines Norte, Northern Quezon, Rizal, Aurora, Nueva Ecija, Cavite Lubang Island, Laguna, Batangas, Bataan, Pampanga, Zambales, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Bulacan, and Metro Manila.

While signal No. 1 was raised in Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Rest of Quezon, Marinduque, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Ifugao, Benguet, and La Union. Public storm warning signals elsewhere are now lowered.

Pagasa Administrator Dr. Prisco Nilo advised the public to take precautionary measures as "Basyang" has a huge rain area of about 250-km radius that will bring heavy rains over Northern and Central Luzon, including Metro Manila.

Pagasa also advised residents living in low-lying and near mountain slopes under signals No. 3, 2, and 1 to take all necessary precautionary measures against flashfloods and landslides.

Those living along the coast in areas under signals No. 2 and 3 are advised to be on alert against big waves generated by the typhoon.

The public and the disaster coordinating councils concerned are also advised to take appropriate actions and watch for the next weather bulletin.

Sawi said the areas covered by the center of the storm are expected to experience strong rains.

“The rains will possibly make a big contribution to Bulacan where the Angat dam is, since it is near Quezon and Aurora, where we expect the center of the storm to landfall,” he said.

He said authorities may defer the proposed cloud seeding operations over the Angat Watershed to monitor for possible increase in the water level.

Based on the guidelines of the Department of Education (DepEd) on the suspension of classes, there are no classes in all public and private pre-schools in provinces where Signal No. 1 is hoisted, while classes were automatically suspended in the pre-school, elementary, and secondary levels where Signal No. 2 is raised.

However, while Metro Manila was under Signal No. 1, the DepEd director in the National Capital Region suspended classes in the pre-school and elementary levels effective 11 a.m.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said localized suspension of classes was implemented as soon as storm signals were declared by Pagasa on the evening of July 12. “Local government and DepEd officials may suspend classes depending on local situation,” he said.

Based on DepEd Order No. 28, series of 2005, in the absence of typhoon signal warnings from Pagasa, “localized suspension or cancellation of classes in both public and private elementary and/or secondary schools in specific divisions may be implemented by local DepEd officials, in coordination with the local chief executives.”

DepEd Order No. 81, s. 2010, released on June 16, to all undersecretaries, assistant secretaries, bureau directors, directors of services, centers and heads of units, regional directors, schools division/city superintendents, and heads of all public and elementary secondary schools, stated that in order to improve the coordination among agencies concerned, particularly in the announcement and dissemination to the general public on information related, “concerned agencies are advised to adhere to the procedure described in the process flow for suspension of classes during inclement weather.”

NDCC Memorandum No. 07, s. 2006, states that once an advisory is released by the Pagasa, NDCC will make an endorsement to DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) before they can release memo circulars on suspension of classes.

The Order also stated that aside from Pagasa and NDCC, all concerned agencies should “announce suspension of classes and work in government offices not later than 10 p.m. the previous day to give the public enough time to prepare.”

According to DepEd, the suspension of classes in private schools in all levels depends on the school administration while local government units may suspend classes immediately when the need arises. “We do not have jurisdiction over tertiary schools, and as such, suspension guidelines for the tertiary level are referred to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED),” Luistro said.

For clarifications on the suspension of classes and other related concerns, the public may call the DepEd hotline 6361663 or 6316033.

Due to Basyang, at least 13 domestic flights were cancelled on Tuesday.

As of 1 p.m., flight service between Manila and parts of Southern Luzon and the Visayas had to be cancelled as airline companies deemed it too risky to proceed with the flights using the smaller turbo-prop planes.

Cebu Pacific cancelled flights between Manila and Naga, Legazpi, Calbayog, Catarman, and Gen. Santos. Air Philippines Express on the other hand cancelled four flights between Manila and Naga City.

Runway visibility at the Manila airport went down to as low as four kilometers due to the inclement weather. As a result, arriving airplanes had to circle the airspace while waiting for the visibility to improve.

Likewise, some 600 passengers were stranded in various ports and terminals due to “Basyang.”

Lieutenant Commander Armando Balilo, Philippine Coast Guard public information officer, said most affected port terminals were in the provinces of Albay, Catanduanes, Batangas, and Quezon.

As 11 a.m. on Tuesday, at least 10 passenger vessels remained stranded in Bicol.

Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Wilfredo Tamayo said they are closely monitoring the weather to guide passengers on areas affected by the weather disturbance. (With reports from Ina Hernando-Malipot, Anjo Perez, John Carlo Cahinhinan, and Freddie G. Lazaro)