Over 2,600 face-to-face classes in Calabarzon suspended due to Taal vog

MANILA, Philippines — The number of suspended in-person classes in Region IV-A reached more than 2,600 due to the effects of the volcanic smog or vog from the Taal Volcano, data from the Department of Education (DepEd) showed.

According to the Education department, 2,685 schools in Calabarzon suspended face-to-face classes due to the vog.

This affected 2,850,095 learners and 89,575 school personnel in the region.

Meanwhile, 28 schools in Region IV-B or Mimaropa also suspended its in-person classes. A total of 254 schools in the National Capital Region also cancelled face-to-face classes due to the haze in the region. 

Based on DepEd’s latest data, a total of 2,967 schools were affected by the vog, impacting 3,586,353 learners and 112,791 personnel.

On Monday, Education Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara released Memorandum No. 46, allowing affected schools to suspend classes even without an official announcement from local authorities.

According to the latest data from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Taal Volcano remains under Alert Level 1, indicating an ongoing unrest with no imminent eruption.

Since August 18, Philvocs observed that vog has been coming out of the Taal Volcano.

Vog, composed of fine droplets carrying volcanic gases like sulfur dioxide, can pose health risks, causing irritation to the eyes, throat and respiratory system.