THE Interior and Local Government (DILG) urged on Wednesday, July 18, the local government units (LGU) to enact their own ordinances that will guide them on when to suspend classes and work due to bad weather.
DILG Assistant Secretary Epimaco Densing said the local government officials should sit down with their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices (LDRRMO) and craft the guidelines.
He made the statement amid the confusion of the LGUs as well as among the parents and students during rainy days.
“It is right to localize suspension of classes kung walang signal 1, 2, 3, kasi ang nakaka-alam ng situation sa mga local government natin ay local executives mismo,” he said.
“Dapat magkaroon sila ng panuntunan kung kailan magdedeklara ng no classes or hindi. Ngayon naka-depend sila sa local government executives na kung tatamad-tamad at ayaw gumising ng maaga hindi magkapag-declare on time,” he added.
Densing said under Executive Order 66, local executives should announce class suspensions before 4:30 a.m. for morning classes and before 11 a.m. for afternoon sessions.
He said as early as May, LGU officials were instructed to convene with the LDRRMO to review their disaster preparedness programs to ensure the safety of the people in their area of responsibility.
Densing said crafting of the guidelines for class suspension during bad weather should be included in their agenda. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/SunStar Philippines)