Senate suspends operations due to STS Kristine

The Senate suspended work for a second consecutive day due to Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, with non-essential employees not required to report but some essential personnel still working.

Senate President Francis Escudero decided to suspend operations based on the latest weather forecast from Pagasa predicting moderate to heavy rainfall in Metro Manila.

Senate Secretary Renato Bantug Jr. issued an advisory instructing personnel assigned by the Deputy Secretary for Legislation to receive copies of the General Appropriations Bill when it is transmitted from the House of Representatives.

The Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Maintenance and General Services Bureau staff following a shifting schedule were exempted from the work suspension directive.

On Wednesday, the Senate had already partially suspended operations due to bad weather conditions.

Pagasa reported that Kristine was packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near Tumauini, Isabela, with gustiness up to 160 kph and moving west-northwestward at 15 kph.