PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed Executive Order No. 130, s. 2026, allowing more localized decisions on class suspensions to protect students from disasters and extreme weather while minimizing unnecessary disruptions to learning.
The new policy replaces blanket suspension orders with a three-level system: automatic suspensions based on national hazard thresholds, localized decisions by local chief executives, and school-level suspensions based on actual conditions and risks.
Under the order, schools in safe areas may continue or immediately resume classes even when nearby communities are affected, while schools facing dangerous conditions may suspend in-person classes when necessary.
The Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), which pushed for the policy change, said calamity-related suspensions cost schools an average of 15 school days annually during School Years 2024–2025 and 2025–2026.
EDCOM 2 Commissioner and Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian warned that prolonged disruptions could worsen learning losses, particularly among children still developing basic reading skills.
“Every day of lost instruction has consequences, particularly for children who are still learning how to read,” Gatchalian said, stressing that suspension decisions should be based on actual risks rather than blanket orders.
EDCOM 2’s analysis of more than 37,000 public elementary schools found that typical exposure to class suspensions was associated with a 0.10 standard deviation setback in reading attainment, equivalent to about 24 teaching days of reading progress among Grades 1 to 3 learners.
EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Rep. Roman Romulo welcomed the policy, saying decisions must reflect the actual conditions of individual communities and schools while ensuring the safety of students and personnel.
The order also directs the Department of Education, in coordination with the Commission on Higher Education, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Public Works and Highways, and relevant science agencies, to issue implementing guidelines within 30 days of its effectivity.
Meanwhile, suspending face-to-face classes will not automatically suspend learning. Schools are expected, whenever feasible, to use alternative learning arrangements, including online classes, printed materials, and self-learning modules.
EDCOM 2 Co-Chairperson Sen. Bam Aquino emphasized the need to prepare learning continuity measures ahead of extreme weather, particularly as the country braces for a potentially strong El Niño.
The commission said EO 130 provides a framework for balancing student safety with the need to protect classroom instruction as schools face heat, drought, and other weather-related disruptions.
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