ILOILO – Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. has granted local chief executives the authority to decide on suspending classes due to extreme heat.
Issuing a province-wide suspension is impractical because weather conditions can significantly vary across different municipalities, he explained.
“Our mayors are better positioned to assess whether class suspensions are necessary,” said Defensor.
As heat intensity differs from one area to another, a uniform class suspension could cause confusion in cooler areas, thus decisions made on a per-municipality basis makes more sense, he added.
Defensor emphasized the importance of coordination and monitoring among the provincial government, local government units (LGUs), and the Department of Education (DepEd) through the Schools Division Office (SDO) – Iloilo Province to keep abreast of conditions on the ground.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in Iloilo, temperatures may continue to rise in the coming days and weeks.
“We have just entered our hot and dry season, and the El Niño phenomenon is ongoing. Warm wind or easterlies from the Pacific Ocean is also coming in,” said Charlie Depra of PAGASA Iloilo.
The highest heat index recorded by PAGASA in Iloilo City was 44 degrees Celsius at 2 p.m. on March 28.
Depra warned that the heat index in some parts of the country may reach 52 degrees Celsius or even higher.
Defensor said the provincial government is ready to support LGUs in managing students affected by heat-related illnesses by providing medicines and access to health facilities, including district hospitals.
He also urged the public to exercise caution and minimize exposure to the sun to prevent heat-related health issues.
The governor highlighted, too, the ongoing review of the school year’s start date, acknowledging the DepEd’s reasons for a shift to August but suggesting periodic reassessments to ensure they remain relevant.
As reported by DepEd Region 6, as of 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 2, extreme heat has led to the suspension of face-to-face classes in 1,042 schools across Western Visayas, affecting 573,677 students.
The affected Schools Division Offices include the following:
* Iloilo City – 66
* Bacolod City – 70
* Roxas City – 50
* Kabankalan City – 91
* Silay City – 39
* Guimaras – 96
* Himamaylan City – 62
* Iloilo – 88
* Bago City – 47
* Negros Occidental – 340
* Sipalay City – 47
* Passi City – 45
* San Carlos City – one
The suspension of face-to-face classes has allowed them to shift to modular learning to continue the education of students at home./PN
