MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure that gives him the authority to adjust the opening of classes when the country is under a state of emergency or calamity.
Republic Act No. 11480 amends Republic Act 7797 also known as “An Act to Lengthen the School Calendar from Two Hundred (200) Days to Not More Than Two Hundred Twenty (220) Class Days,” which states that the opening of classes should be between the first Monday of June to the last day of August.
Under the newly-signed measure, the President upon the recommendation of the Department of Education (DepEd), can adjust the start of the school year during a state of emergency or calamity in the entire country or in select areas.
The law also authorizes the holding of Saturday classes for both public and private schools and provides the Education secretary with power to determine the end of the school year with consideration of the Christmas and summer breaks, and the “peculiar circumstances” of each region.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said, while the law is to take effect while the country is under coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, it does not necessarily mean that President Duterte will adjust the DepEd-scheduled August 24 class opening.
“Siguro nagbibigay lang ito ng flexibility sa Presidente,” Roque said in a virtual press conference on Monday. “Ang paglilipat ng class opening ay nakabase sa rekomendasyon ng DepEd.”
“Sa ngayon ang recommendation pa rin ng DepEd ay August 24 ang pagbubukas ng ating blended learning. Unless magbago ng rekomendasyon ang kalihim (DepEd), baka hindi magbago ang schedule,” he added./PN
