Schools may now suspend and resume classes during weather disturbances, calamities
Schools now have the power to suspend and resume in-person classes during weather disturbances or calamities based on safety risk assessments, according to a new policy.
Under President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s new executive order, schools and learning centers can implement granular suspension and resumption of classes to protect the safety and welfare of the learners and staff.
The new policy said that granular suspensions may be declared only if there is no suspension declared by the National Government or the local government.
"In the absence of an applicable automatic suspension or localized suspension declared by the concerned LCE, an educational institution or learning center may, through its duly authorized official, declare granular suspension, in coordination with the concerned LCE, upon the determination that an actual or imminent threat to the safety, health, or welfare of learners and personnel exists based on documented site-specific conditions," EO No.130 read.
On the other hand, the resumption of classes must be based on "a documented site-specific assessment demonstrating that the conditions warranting suspension no longer exist" or have been mitigated for the safety of learners and personnel going to and from the institution.
"Where a localized suspension remains in effect, granular resumption may be declared with the concurrence of the concerned LCE, subject to the requirements prescribed under this Order and its implementing guidelines," it added.
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The EO also mentioned that on-site class suspensions do not necessarily impede learning, as learning institutions may implement alternative learning modes, consistent with the policies of the ECCD Council, DepEd, CHED, TESDA, and other concerned government agencies.
"Unless otherwise expressly provided in the suspension order, alternative work arrangements shall be implemented, whenever practicable and in accordance with applicable guidelines, during the suspension of onsite work in educational institutions and learning centers," it added.
The new EO amends Executive Order No. 66, s. 2012, which proposed a three-level system for class suspensions: automatic suspensions when national hazard thresholds are met; localized suspensions decided by local officials based on risks and scientific data in their areas, in consultation with schools; and school-level suspensions based on conditions at individual schools.
This came months after educational institutions called for a granular, evidence-based approach, instead of a blanket suspension of classes, to avoid compromising students' learning while at the same time keeping them and the personnel safe.
According to EDCOM 2, schools have lost an average of 15 days each school year since 2024 due to calamity-related class suspensions. Negros Occidental was the hardest-hit single division, losing 71 school days due to the months-long Kanlaon Volcano eruption, followed by Canlaon City at 61 days. In Metro Manila, 16 divisions lost 15 days on average due to the monsoon and typhoons.
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