Interior Sec. Jonvic Remulla Given the Authority To Declare Class Suspension during Bad Weather
CLASS SUSPENSION – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) now has the authority to declare the suspension of classes during inclement weather conditions.
Under the current guidelines in the Philippines, the power to suspend classes during inclement weather conditions lies with the local government units or LGUs. Such announcements are made for the safety of the students as well as the employees most especially in cases of tropical storms.
However, there were several cases in the past when the students were caught in the midst of heavy rainfall or flood because the suspension of classes was not announced prior. It triggered DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla to ask the national government for an authority to declare a class suspension during times of disaster or inclement weather conditions.
Then, Pres. Bongbong Marcos has not decided right away on the request of the Interior Secretary. According to the Palace, the request must go through a careful study. Malacañang appealed to the LGUs to expedite giving orders to suspend classes while the authority rests on them to avoid situations of students getting caught under heavy rainfall nor in deep flooding on their way home.
Recently, amid the rainy season in the Philippines and a common expectation that several storms may hit the country until December as what usually happens, DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla confirmed that he now has the power to declare a class suspension due to a natural calamity or bad weather.
Based on a report on Inquirer, it was confirmed by Remulla himself to the source through a message. He made his first announcement yesterday when classes in all levels in both public and private schools as well as work in the government offices in the following areas were cancelled in the afternoon at 1:00 p.m.:
- Metro Manila
- Bataan
- Batangas
- Bulacan
- Cavite
- Occidental Mindoro
- Pampanga
- Pangasinan
- Rizal
- Tarlac
- Zambales
However, his first announcement of a class suspension did not sit well with some netizens who hoped that the announcement could have been done to prior so the students were not caught under heavy rainfall. Based on the report, DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla owned up to the mistake.
Speaking to a dzBB radio interview, Interior Sec. Remulla claimed that he waited for Pres. Bongbong Marcos to arrive in the United States first before he asked for the permission to suspend classes and work. He admitted that the announcement should have been done prior.
“Supposedly, I should be the one to have the initiative to suspend work and classes early on. It should have been done yesterday (Sunday). So I’m really owning up to it—that was my fault,” he said.
Based on the report, Malacañang press secretary Dave Gomez also confirmed that DILG Sec. Jonvic Remulla has been “authorized to make announcements on behalf of the Cabinet and the Palace”. The Interior Secretary believes that centralizing the authority for class suspensions will pave the way for a more timely and accurate coordination with the LGUs most especially in times of natural calamities.