LGUs to remain deciding authority for class suspensions

As monsoon rains once again cause flooding in Metro Manila’s streets, prompting the suspension of classes, Malacañang Palace said the decision to declare class suspensions will remain in the hands of local government units.

This comes as Interior and Local Government Secretary Jonvic Remulla said he would ask for authority to declare class suspensions earlier during tropical cyclones, citing his gubernatorial experience in handling them.

“As of now, the President has not yet given an official response regarding Secretary Jonvic Remulla's suggestion. And this will be studied because if it will benefit the majority,” said Undersecretary Claire Castro, the Palace spokesperson, in a media briefing on Thursday in Malacañang.

“The President will study it and give a possible response regarding that. But as of the moment, our current system is where the leadership of the LGUs are the ones who give their orders if there is a class suspension, which will remain for now,” she maintained.

Castro stressed that local government units should decide quickly whether classes should be suspended during heavy rains so students will no longer have to go out into flooded streets.

Biazon exercises caution

Meanwhile, Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon said he exercises caution in announcing class suspensions, citing the impact of lost school days on students’ education.

Biazon, in a statement on Thursday, stressed that he does not suspend classes based on pressure from the public on social media but instead bases his announcements on data from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and the city’s disaster response office.

“As early as the night before, I carefully studied the data from PAGASA and the DDRMO and consulted with DepEd, PLMun, and CDM to determine whether a suspension is truly justified. Our top concern is the safety of our learners,” Biazon said.

He pointed out the toll of frequent suspensions on students’ education, citing figures from the Education Commission 2 showing that 53 school days were lost in School Year 2023 to 2024, equivalent to roughly 25 percent of the 200-day school calendar.

Biazon also cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, which reported that around 19 million Filipinos are functionally illiterate. In Muntinlupa City, 74.4 percent of students are considered functionally literate, implying that around 25.6 percent are not.

“That’s why, as much as possible, if it’s safe for students to attend school, I avoid suspending classes without a well-studied justification,” he said.

Muntinlupa was among the cities that cancelled classes on Thursday, suspending classes for kindergarten learners and afternoon classes at all levels in public and private schools due to heavy rainfall.