SAFETY DURING RAINY SEASON

The Department of Education (DepEd) is reminding all public and private schools across the country to prioritize the safety and well-being of learners at all costs.

The nation is bracing itself for the rainy season, as the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) officially declared the start of the rainy season last month. The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Service at the Central Office, DRRM Units at the Regional and the Schools Division Offices, and the school heads and DRRM coordinators shall lead the preparations and implementation of precautionary measures to mitigate the impacts of the rainy season. The Department’s policy also remains on the announcement of class suspensions due to inclement weather.

Classes in affected areas are automatically suspended based on the PAGASA declared storm signals, while local government units (LGUs)— not DepEd— decide on and announce class suspensions within their areas of jurisdiction during calamities in the absence of a storm signal. DepEd further calls on parents to practice their discretion on determining whether their children should go to school during typhoons, floods and other calamities, even in the absence of cancellation or suspension of classes announcement.

It was also reiterated that automatic suspension of classes in applicable for the preschool level in all public and private schools when storm number 1 has been raised. Meanwhile, classes in pre-school, elementary and high school – in all public and private schools – will be automatically suspended with storm signal number 2 has been raised. Classes at all levels – from pre-school to college, including graduate school – are automatically suspended when signal number 3 or higher has been raised.

-oOoThe

II at Mitla Elementary School

author is Teacher