September 4, 2025 | 12:00am
MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang will ask the Nationwide Catastrophe Threat Discount and Administration Council (NDRRMC) to evaluate the decision of a non-public college group to overview the Division of the Inside and Native Authorities (DILG)’s blanket authority to droop lessons throughout heavy rains.
The Coordinating Council of Non-public Academic Associations (COCOPEA) earlier stated Inside Secretary Jonvic Remulla’s blanket and computerized class suspension orders hamper college preparations, discourage resilience at school communities and devalue college students’ training.
“Sure, we are going to suggest this (overview of the coverage) to the NDRRMC,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro stated yesterday at a press briefing.
President Marcos approved Remulla to declare class suspensions after the inside secretary requested the Chief Government to empower him.
COCOPEA stated insurance policies ought to give personal college directors “sufficient flexibility to determine whether or not to droop lessons and work, change to on-line strategies or assign asynchronous duties after evaluating conditions affecting stakeholders and the college’s educational calendar.”
In a separate interview over dzBB, COCOPEA authorized counsel Joseph Noel Estrada identified that the Division of Training (DepEd) had beforehand allowed personal colleges to train discretion.
“The current order from the DepEd acknowledged that it isn’t computerized that when there may be class suspension, personal colleges may also droop – the discretion is given to them,” he stated.
However, the group burdened that “it’s open to cooperate with native authorities models, the DILG and the DepEd to discover methods to mitigate the destructive results of antagonistic climate situations on our college students.”
COCOPEA has since obtained assist from totally different personal establishments, together with Ateneo de Manila College.
In a Fb put up on Tuesday, Ateneo stated: “Ateneo de Manila College helps COCOPEA’s assertion calling on President Marcos to assist the continuity of the training sector throughout antagonistic climate.”
Remulla defended
Pushing again in opposition to criticisms, the DILG defended Remulla’s authority to declare class suspensions throughout heavy rains, stressing that it isn’t meant to disrupt studying however to guard college students and college personnel throughout antagonistic climate situations.
The DILG stated Remulla’s advisories on class suspensions are meant to assist households and colleges make well timed choices and mitigate dangers.
“These bulletins will not be meant to disrupt studying however to guard probably the most susceptible throughout emergencies,” the division stated in a press release issued Tuesday night time.
The DILG stated personal colleges will not be aware about the newest forecast fashions of the NDRRMC throughout dangerous climate.
“One of the best compromise is to permit flexibility to shift to on-line lessons at any time when the federal government publicizes a suspension,” the division stated.
It additionally emphasised that Remulla’s orders are based mostly on NDRRMC suggestions in addition to up to date hazard monitoring information.
His position, it added, is to speak and implement these suggestions in coordination with native authorities models.
The DILG assured the general public that it is able to coordinate with the DepEd, LGUs and personal instructional establishments to stability scholar security with continuity of studying.
“Defending college students and preserving their proper to training will not be opposing objectives. They go hand in hand,” the DILG stated. –– Emmanuel Tupas, Bella Cariaso
