As part of measures to respond to the disruptions brought by adverse weather events and other matters.
Last Thursday, September 3, the Social Development Committee (SDC) Cabinet Cluster approved the recommendations by the Department of Education for the issuance of an Executive Order to update the guidelines on the suspension and resumption of classes and on-site work in schools.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara is then set to submit to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. during the Economic and Development (ED) Council meeting, with the proposal to be endorsed to the ED Council for due consideration.
The proposed measure enhances and updates the current framework under Executive Order No. 66, series of 2012 and is part of the administration’s efforts to minimize disruptions to learning and ensure the safety of students and school staff.
Based on data presented to the Cabinet Cluster, up to 53 out of 180 school days were lost in basic education schools in School Year 2023–2024 due to inclement weather and disaster-related cancellations.
From June 8 to August 31, 2026 alone, some schools recorded 20 to 40 days of class absence.
Thus, to address the recurring disruptions to education and the economy, the proposed EO would implement a three-tier decision-making mechanism.
These include automatic class suspensions based on national technical thresholds, localized class suspensions to be declared by local chief executives, and granular class suspensions and resumptions that empower school heads to make decisions based on the situation in their area in coordination with local governments.
Angara emphasized that while student safety remains a top priority, sufficient weight should also be given to the continuation of learning.
“When a hazard strikes, the safety of our students, teachers, and school personnel is non-negotiable. However, every unnecessary day a classroom stays closed costs our learners their potential and compromises our long-term economic productivity,” he said.
The education chief also vowed to reframe the approach and stressed that they are not merely suspending classes and that they are “safeguarding learning continuity.”
“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,” Angara added.
Under the bill’s main provisions, the scope of hazards will expand from typhoons to heavy rain, floods, earthquakes, storm surges, poor air quality, volcanic smog, volcanic hazards, and extreme heat reaching 40-degree Celsius or higher Heat Index.
The policy will maintain the authority of schools to suspend in-person classes based on a validated site-specific assessment and with the approval of their Schools Division Superintendent (SDS).
In the event of a city-wide or municipality-wide suspension, public school principals may initiate the resumption of classes based on the recorded situation once the danger has passed, provided that there is the approval of the local chief executive.
Private schools, on the other hand, are free to declare the resumption of classes in rapid coordination with the local chief executive.
The proposed EO will also formally implement learning continuity using alternative learning delivery modalities, flexible learning options, self-learning resources, and temporary learning spaces to ensure the continuity of education in the midst of any crisis.
While the proposed EO will set the general policy, the specific technical thresholds and operational guidelines will be detailed in a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) to be jointly issued by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
The proposal is said to have been developed after weeks of extensive consultation with local chief executives, school heads, teachers, parents, and students, the proposed EO reflects broad support from various sectors for class suspension decisions based on the actual situation in each area.
LIGTAS+
Still in relation to safety of learners, Angara also called on principals, teachers, and disaster response coordinators of public schools nationwide to incorporate the new hazard assessment tool into their disaster preparedness activities.
The goal is to better protect students from learning disruptions caused by disasters.
Project LIGTAS+ (Learning Institution Geohazard Tracking and Assessment for Safety) has been tagged as a decision-support platform that aims to make weather and geological data transparent and serve as safety alerts for each school to guide proactive hazard management.
Angara emphasized the need to avoid reactive disaster response, noting that LIGTAS+ empowers school leaders to identify hazards early and act before disruptions become severe.
“Hindi pwedeng lagi na lang tayong nag-aabang kung kailan babagyo o lilindol bago tayo kumilos. With LIGTAS+, we can anticipate risks early so our school leaders can make timely, informed decisions before hazards turn into emergencies. Ang kailangan natin ay malinaw at reliable information para sa mas maagang paghahanda,” he stressed.
Tbe platform was developed by the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service (DRRMS) and the Education Center for AI Research (ECAIR) of the Department of Education (DepEd).
Its workflow wad designed for all levels of DepEd administration, allowing school leaders, teachers, and disaster response coordinators to log in using their official credentials.
Users will begin their analysis on an interactive nationwide map accessible on mobile or desktop to instantly identify hazard threats in over 47,000 public schools in the country.
To help school leaders anticipate threats before they strike, the system combines artificial intelligence and traditional weather forecast models with satellite radar imagery and data from key government agencies and international scientific agencies.
Data sources include the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA) for monitoring rainfall, wind speed, and extreme heat; DOST–Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) for earthquake forecasting and volcanic ashfall monitoring.
There will also be the Department of Environment and Natural Resources–Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) for landslide and flood risk; as well as international climate data from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the European Union’s Copernicus satellite data collection.
When emergencies strike, school safety teams can report conditions in real-time. Instead of spending hours manually creating reports every time a typhoon or other disaster strikes, school administrators can create standardized emergency situation reports in just five minutes.
To speed up the response, LIGTAS+ is also directly connected to the DepEd Incident Management and Reporting System (IMRS). By quickly mapping school conditions, decision-makers are given a real-time overview of the situation so that support can be properly distributed before, during, and after an emergency.
LIGTAS+ also includes the 4H Education in Emergencies Framework—comprised of Hayo (Continue), Hinay (Ease-in), Hinga (Check-in), and Hinto (Stop)—to guide school administrators in adjusting schedules, switching to alternative learning modes, or suspending classes depending on the level of threat.
DepEd clarified that LIGTAS+ serves as a decision-support tool and is not intended to replace official notifications, established protocols, and field assessments.
“With the help of technology and our partner agencies, our preparation is faster and more accurate. Through LIGTAS+, we are giving our school leaders the right tools and information to act early, keep our learners safe, and ensure that schooling continues even during disasters,” said Angara.
