DepEd asks parents to monitor advisories from PAGASA, LGUs

By Carlito C. Dar

Tuesday 19th of June 2012

BAGUIO CITY, June 19 (PIA) -- With the onset of the rainy season, the Department of Education (DepEd) is constantly reminding parents and students to regularly monitor media outlets for weather bulletins from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA) and announcements of cancellation and suspension of classes from their local chief executives.

DepEd regional director Dr. Ellen Donato reiterated in an interview that cancellation and suspension of classes during typhoon will be based on PAGASA advisory. Otherwise, the local government units will be the ones to declare cancellation or suspension of classes in both public and private school, as well as work in government offices during heavy rains and flood situations in their area.

Mayors sit as local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council chair.

“Based on a department order of Secretary Armin Luistro, no cancellation/suspension announcement should originate from the department, unless urgent actions are needed to prevent a loss of life or bodily harm,” Donato said.

She reiterated that based on the DepEd guidelines, if PAGASA declares typhoon signal no. 1 in certain areas, classes in public and private pre-school and kindergarten are automatically cancelled or suspended; for signal no. 2, it will be kindergarten, elementary and secondary classes in the affected areas that are automatically suspended; while for signal number 3, it will be all levels including work in DepEd offices, in affected areas that are automatically cancelled or suspended.

Before, the task of announcing the cancellation of classes due to inclement weather had changed hands from the weather bureau, to the DepEd, even to the school management. Today, rightly, the role lies on local government executives based on the findings of PAGASA.

Donato reminded parents that the education department maintains and respects that parents have the ultimate responsibility for determining whether their children should go to school, even if no order for cancellation/suspension of classes has been issued, if they feel that traveling to or from school will place their children at risks.

“Always monitor or check media advisories from PAGASA, as well as from the local, provincial, regional or national DRRM Council, especially during the presence of Low Pressure Area (LPA) or typhoons in your locality,” Donato reiterated.

So far since the school year opened two weeks ago, classes have been going on smoothly in the Cordillera even with the inclement weather. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)