When the earth shakes, so does the order of things. In the aftermath of the recent earthquakes felt in different parts of the country, the students wait hopeful, eyes fixed on their phone screens, as they wait for the announcement: “Class suspended.”
But behind every announcement lies a complex web of authority and accountability. Who ultimately carries the burden of choosing between caution
and continuity?
The power to suspend classes in times of disaster is not just an administrative prerogative. It is rooted in police power, the state’s fundamental authority to protect life, safety, and public welfare. Under Republic Act (RA) 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, local government units (LGUs), particularly the chief executives such as governors, mayors, and barangay chairpersons, are expressly empowered to take all necessary measures to safeguard their constituents. Section 16, known as the General Welfare Clause, gives them the mandate to take necessary actions for the safety and welfare of their constituents, which includes class suspensions during emergencies.
The authority of LGUs to act during disasters is further reinforced by RA 10121, or the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, in which Section 15 thereof designates local disaster risk reduction and management councils (LDRRMCs) as the lead agencies in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters within their authorities. The law recognizes the primary responsibility of LGUs as first responders, underscoring their duty to make critical decisions, including class suspensions, when public safety is at stake. At the same time, it empowers national agencies to establish effective early warning systems and ensure clear lines of communication.
Similarly, school heads, like those in private institutions, are authorized to suspend classes when there is imminent danger to students or personnel, pursuant to Department of Education (DepEd) Order 37, series of 2022, which sets out guidelines for class and work suspension during natural disasters, calamities, and other emergencies. Similarly, the Commission on Higher Education (Ched) grants higher education institutions the discretion to suspend classes under Ched Memorandum Order 15, series of 2012, by empowering school authorities and administrators to act swiftly in the interest of safety of the students.
Yet in practice, this structure often falters. There seems to be competing advisories, delayed memorandums, and several “unofficial” announcements on social media, which would sow confusion in these times when clarity is needed most. In times demanding swift response, bureaucratic delay constitutes a disaster in itself.
To address these challenges, it is essential for national agencies such as DepEd and Ched, working hand in hand with LGUs, to institutionalize a synchronized alert protocol or one authoritative channel per locality, verified and binding, to ensure timely and consistent communication. Because earthquakes demand quick, local judgment and coherent messaging, the burden of choosing between caution and continuity rests concurrently on (1) LGU chief executives, working through their LDRRMCs, and (2) school heads or higher education administrators acting under DepEd and Ched guidelines.
It is also a humble submission that alerts must be issued within a defined time frame following a Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) bulletin, applying default conservative rules like automatic suspension once a set intensity threshold is reached. This is to ensure that decisions on class and work suspensions are made swiftly, transparently, and based on objective parameters rather than subjective discretion.
The law provides the framework; thus, it is now up to our institutions to exercise it with prudence, coordination, and accountability. A unified, synchronized, and time-bound alert protocol empowers both authorities and the public to act decisively and responsibly in times of calamities.
In moments when the ground trembles and panic runs faster than the jolts, the real test is not in predicting the earthquake but in managing the silence that follows. After all, when the earth shakes, the only thing that should not is our system of response.