Philippines Proposes Overhaul of Class Suspension Rules to Prioritize Learning Continuity Amid Disasters

Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced that the Department of Education (DepEd) will submit a proposed executive order (EO) to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to overhaul the existing rules on class suspensions and resumptions due to natural disasters. The proposal was approved by the Social Development Committee Cabinet Cluster. The proposed EO seeks to update the framework under Executive Order No. 66, series of 2012, by granting local officials and school heads greater authority to make site-specific decisions, thereby ensuring learner safety while minimizing unnecessary learning disruptions. Instructional losses caused by weather disturbances and disasters have become a significant concern in the Philippines. Data presented to the Cabinet Cluster revealed that basic education institutions lost up to 53 out of 180 school days during School Year 2023-2024 due to weather-related and disaster-related class cancellations. Furthermore, from June 8 to August 31, 2026, some schools recorded 20 to 40 days of instructional loss, highlighting the urgent need for a more flexible approach. Secretary Angara emphasized that while learner safety remains the government's top priority, "every unnecessary day a classroom stays closed costs our learners their potential and compromises our long-term economic productivity," underscoring the necessity of protecting learning continuity. The proposed EO would establish a three-tiered decision-making mechanism. It also expands the hazards covered beyond typhoons to include heavy rainfall, flooding, earthquakes, storm surges, poor air quality, volcanic hazards, and extreme heat with a heat index of 40°C or higher. Under the proposal, school heads will retain the authority to suspend in-person classes based on documented site-specific assessments, with the concurrence of their Schools Division Superintendent. Once hazards have cleared, schools will be able to resume in-person classes based on similar site-specific assessments. For public schools, this requires the concurrence of the local chief executive, while private basic education schools may declare resumptions in prompt coordination with the local chief executive. Moreover, the new policy would formally institutionalize alternative ways of delivering instruction when in-person classes are disrupted. This includes alternative learning delivery modalities, flexible learning options, self-learning resources, and temporary learning spaces. Secretary Angara stated that this new framework will provide local officials and school heads with greater flexibility to respond to actual conditions on the ground. "Under President Marcos’ leadership, we are reframing our approach: we are not merely suspending classes; we are safeguarding learning continuity," he said. "By institutionalizing granular suspensions and resumptions, we give our local executives and school heads the legal backing and flexibility to make science-backed decisions tailored to real-time, ground conditions." The proposal was formulated following consultations with local chief executives, school heads, teachers, parents, and learners. The final EO will be supplemented by a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for specific technical thresholds and operational guidelines. Source: GMA News Philippines