Archival to meet with school officials on class suspension

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival wants to meet with school officials to discuss appropriate responses to extreme heat and ensure that institutions are guided by the latest national policies on class suspensions and learner safety.

Archival said he recently received a memorandum concerning heat index thresholds and their implications for school operations, prompting him to push for a dialogue with schools across the city.

“Naa koy nadawat nga memo regarding aning heat index. Thirty-three degrees going up, maka-suspend na ta'g klase,” Archival told reporters yesterday.

“So, ako paning lingkuran karon kung unsa atong pagabuhaton para masibya ni nato, panudlong sa mga eskuwelahan. In fact, gusto nako mabalki og meeting sa mga eskuwelahan,” he added.

Under DepEd Memorandum No. 64, Series of 2026, schools are directed to follow a four-level heat response framework based on heat index readings and local conditions.

The Department of Education's guidelines provide that when the heat index ranges from 27 degrees Celsius to 32 degrees Celsius, school heads may shorten in-person class hours or shift to hybrid and flexible learning arrangements.

When the heat index reaches 33 degrees Celsius to 41 degrees Celsius, classified as the extreme caution level, face-to-face classes may be suspended, and learners may be shifted to lighter home-based activities.

Once the heat index reaches 42 degrees Celsius and above, all physical and home-based academic activities may be suspended for safety reasons.

Asked what measures he wants schools to take amid the hot weather, Archival said the matter requires further consultation.

“Gusto lang nako nga maistorya nako ang mga eskuwelahan unsa'y angay natong buhaton kay ako, kung imong tan-awon, suspensyon man dayon, 'di ba?” he said.

His remarks come as forecasts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) continue to show elevated heat index levels across Cebu and other parts of the Visayas.

PAGASA earlier forecast a heat index of 38°C in Cebu on Nov. 2, placing the province under the “extreme caution” category, while forecasts for Nov. 4 showed the heat index reaching 39°C.

PAGASA classifies heat index values of 33°C to 41°C as “extreme caution,” under which heat cramps and heat exhaustion are possible, and heat stroke may occur with prolonged exposure or physical activity. Values between 42°C and 51°C fall under the “danger” category.

The mayor's planned consultations also coincide with the implementation of Executive Order No. 130, signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Oct. 28, 2026, which establishes a new framework for the suspension and resumption of classes, school activities, and on-site work in educational institutions.

The order aims to harmonize school suspension policies while ensuring that decisions are guided by science, local conditions, and the safety of learners and school personnel.

Under the executive order, suspensions may be imposed through automatic triggers based on prescribed technical thresholds, localized declarations by local chief executives, or granular suspensions initiated by schools based on site-specific assessments.

The policy also allows mayors and governors to declare localized suspensions after coordinating with concerned agencies and disaster risk reduction councils.

The Department of Education has been tasked with issuing the implementing guidelines, including technical thresholds and coordination procedures, within 30 days of the order's effectivity. — /IHM (FREEMAN)