ILOILO City – The persistence of half-day classes in Iloilo City’s public schools has triggered a push for urgent government action, as concerns mount over classroom shortages, unresolved earthquake damage, and widening learning gaps that educators warn could leave lasting scars on students’ academic development.
Originally intended as a stopgap measure, the double-shift system has increasingly drawn criticism for compressing lessons, rushing assessments, and forcing heavier take-home workloads on learners.
One of the proposed measures urges the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Office of the Building Official (OBO) to immediately fast-track the structural assessment, repair, and rehabilitation of city public school buildings damaged by the Sept. 30, 2025 earthquake. Department of Education records show that 14 school buildings were affected, yet only four have so far been evaluated, leaving students and teachers in limbo over safety conditions.
But even schools untouched by the earthquake — including La Paz National High School, Bo. Obrero National High School, and Mandurriao National High School — have been forced to implement shifting schedules due to lack of facilities.
Another proposal seeks a joint inquiry by the Sangguniang Panlungsod committees on education and engineering to comprehensively assess both the physical state of school buildings and the learning disruptions faced by students, with the goal of guiding decisive policy action and speeding up repairs.
To mitigate academic losses caused by shortened class hours, the Department of Education is also being urged to roll out concrete interventions such as the Accelerated Learning Program for Numeracy and Literacy (ALNEP), remedial and enrichment classes, targeted reading initiatives, and additional teacher training.
“At the local level, the OBO must strictly enforce the National Building Code to protect public safety. At the national level, DPWH must step in decisively. Temporary adjustments cannot replace real solutions,” said Councilor Sedfrey Cabaluna, proponent, stressing that half-day schooling should remain an emergency measure rather than a long-term norm.
He warned that continued inaction could deepen inequality in public education: “If we must divide something, it should not be our children’s education. We must bridge the wide gap between overcrowded, under-resourced schools and those that can provide full, quality learning.”/PN
