Quezon City clarifies class suspension guidelines

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City government has reiterated its guidelines for the localized suspension of classes during inclement weather.

Issued last year in line with guidelines released by the Department of Education (DepEd), the policy mandates local officials to issue timely announcements in case there are no automatic class suspensions.

Under DepEd’s policy, face-to-face and online classes in public kindergarten to senior high school are automatically suspended in areas under tropical cyclone wind signals, orange or red rainfall warning and flood warnings.

If there are no warnings from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (DRRMC) may recommend to the mayor the announcement of a city-wide class suspension.

If there is no announcement by the city government by 4 a.m., barangays have until 4:30 a.m. to announce suspension of morning classes in public schools in their jurisdictions.

For afternoon classes, the DRRMC may recommend a city-wide suspension not later than 10 a.m. In the absence of such, barangays have until 10:30 a.m. to announce localized suspension of afternoon classes in public schools.

Mayor Joy Belmonte explained the need for a policy for localized class suspensions.

“Quezon City is the largest city in Metro Manila and constitutes around one-fourth of the entire region’s land area. There are instances when it will rain hard in Fairview in District 5 and not a single drop in Tatalon in District 4,” Belmonte said.