President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is fast-tracking the issuance of revised protocols for class suspensions and restarts to address erratic weather patterns, Malacañang announced Thursday.
Communications Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro explained during a news briefing that the Chief Executive instructed officials to hasten the policy review due to sudden climate shifts.
“Minamadali po ito, dahil nga ang sabi ng Pangulo kahapon na ang panahon ay paiba-iba, lalo na ngayon at minsan biglang bubuhos ang ulan o bigla namang walang ulan,” Castro said.
The proposed framework remains under review as government bodies refine coordination mechanisms among schools, families, and local officials to avoid widespread confusion when weather advisories shift unexpectedly.
“Kailangan pong aralin para hindi po magkaroon ng miscommunication o malito ang mga magulang, ang mga bata kung anong oras papasok o hindi papasok,” Castro added.
Under the prospective setup, local government units will play a central role, utilizing a standardized system tied to official weather alert levels to delineate whether local executives or the Department of Education (DepEd) should issue the call.
“Kinakailangan po itong mas mabilisan, kasi mas marami po kasing naapektuhan, mga bata at mga magulang kapag hindi agad nagkakaroon ng announcement,” Castro emphasized.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara previously confirmed that DepEd would submit a draft executive order granting local administrators and school principals greater authority to adjust in-person schedules based on ground conditions.