Schools advised to adjust class schedules amid intense heat

MANILA, Philippines —  Public schools affected by intense heat should adjust class schedules or adopt remote learning measures, the Department of Education said yesterday.

The DepEd rejected proposals for automatic class suspensions when the state weather bureau projects dangerous heat levels as this was beyond existing policies. Instead, schools will follow the mandate of local chief executives to suspend classes in such scenarios.

If suspensions occur, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said schools would shift to alternative learning performance-based tasks or make-up classes to ensure that learning competencies are still met.

“In case there is no automatic suspension of classes and in the absence of a declaration from the LGU, DepEd’s policy also allows school heads and ALS coordinators to suspend in-person classes if excessive heat poses health risks to students and teachers,” Angara said.

Offices and schools are instructed to prepare and use self-learning modules and Dynamic Learning Program tools in case of shift to alternative delivery mode or ADM.

Angara said schools have been advised to conduct morning sessions from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and allow asynchronous sessions from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Afternoon classes may be held from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

He added that additional rest and hydration breaks should be implemented, especially in non air-conditioned classrooms.

“We are deeply concerned about our learners’ and teachers’ safety. We are closely coordinating with our field offices to assess the situation in schools and determine the best course of action given the extreme heat,” Angara said.

DepEd also stressed the importance of keeping classrooms well-ventilated by opening windows, removing obstructions that restrict airflow and installing additional fans and cooling devices.

Apart from these, schools were reminded that students should not be doing outdoor activities during the peak of heat, ensure access to potable water and provide first aid kits and cooling packs.

Easterlies to bring rain

Easterlies are forecast to bring heavy rains and thunderstorms to parts of Mindanao, including the Davao region, Soccsksargen and the provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, while Metro Manila and most of the country can expect generally fair weather with possible localized thunderstorms, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The state weather bureau reported that there are currently no low-pressure areas or storms within or near the Philippine area of responsibility.

However, the northern parts of Northern Luzon, including Batanes and the Babuyan Islands, are expected to experience heavy rains and thunderstorms due to the effects of the shear line.

Provinces like Cagayan, Isabela and Aurora should also brace for possible heavy downpours and isolated thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, Ilocos Norte and Apayao will likely have improved weather with only light rainshowers.

Metro Manila and other parts of the country will continue to experience warm temperatures with occasional localized thunderstorms. Temperature forecasts for key areas remain varied: Metro Manila will range from 24 to 34 degrees Celsius, Baguio from 17 to 27 degrees Celsius, Legazpi from 25 to 30 degrees Celsius, Puerto Princesa 26 to 32 degrees Celsius and 24 to 31 degrees Celsius in Davao.

For the next three days, Metro Manila and Baguio are expected to experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with localized thunderstorms.

Due to the influence of the approaching storm system, light rains are possible on Sunday. Eastern Luzon, including Legazpi, should prepare for heavy rains and possible flooding through the weekend.

In the Visayas, fair weather conditions are forecast for Metro Cebu and Iloilo City until Sunday, with localized thunderstorms expected. Tacloban City will see fair weather until Friday before rains pick up over the weekend.

Mindanao’s weather remains unstable, with the Davao region seeing continuous heavy rains and thunderstorms from Friday to Sunday.

Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga City can expect relatively fair weather before the weekend brings increased chances of rain and storms.

Health-related illness

Amid the scorching temperature, Filipinos can immediately seek treatment for heat-related illnesses without worrying about medical costs, Philippine Health Insurance Corp. (PhilHealth) president Edwin Mercado said yesterday.

He gave assurance that they are extending coverage for heat-related diseases like heat stroke or heat exhaustion. “If the patient fainted and lost consciousness because of heat fatigue, we have coverage worth P12,675,” Mercado said.

He said PhilHealth also has existing health packages for dengue, emergency services and congenital heart disease, among others.

DA interventions

The Department of Agriculture has put in place the necessary interventions amid the expected impact of the dry season on the agriculture sector, according to DA spokesman Arnel de Mesa.

“We have prepared (necessary measures) on how to deal with extreme heat and we have already submitted it to the Presidential Communications Office,” De Mesa said at a press conference.

De Mesa added that the impact of the dry season this year is expected to be less compared to damage in 2024. “Last year, the impact (on the agriculture sector) was big because of the El Niño as there was no rain. Unlike now, despite the extreme heat, we still expect rainfall,” he said. – Christine Boton, Bella Cariaso, Mayen Jaymalin, Emmanuel Tupas