PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Executive Order No. 130, detailing the rules on suspension of classes, Malacañang said.
“Every day of absence from school represents a significant loss; the new executive order aims to ensure that students remain safe and that their education continues,” Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing on Tuesday.
The order enumerated three types of suspensions: automatic suspension when specific criteria regarding weather or hazards are met, localized suspensions when local leaders decide to suspend classes based on their situation, and granular suspension, where schools themselves may suspend classes if hazards within the vicinity of the schools are seen.
“This grants local governments greater authority to decide which specific areas or schools should suspend classes, based on the actual conditions on the ground,” Castro said.
“This allows for more direct action and ensures that the response from local government units is appropriate. Schools will also have the discretion to suspend classes whenever it is truly necessary for the sake of the students, as the safety of the children is always the top priority,” she added.
The executive order said that suspension of in-person classes does not automatically mean a halt to learning, as schools are mandated to implement alternative delivery modes and learning continuity measures consistent with guidelines set by the Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, and the Early Childhood Care and Development Council.
“There is a need to rationalize and harmonize the rules governing the suspension and resumption of classes and activities, and on-site work in educational institutions and learning centers due to natural or human-induced hazards, while ensuring uninterrupted delivery of quality education through risk-informed, science-based, locally responsive policies that support learning continuity,” the order read.
