Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is pushing for the immediate release of new guidelines on the suspension and resumption of classes amid unpredictable weather conditions, Malaca±ang said Thursday.

According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro emphasized the urgency of finalizing the guidelines, as President Marcos highlighted the erratic nature of the current weather patterns. Castro explained that the government is in the process of studying how announcements on class suspensions can be coordinated to avoid confusion among students, parents, schools, and local governments.

She stressed the importance of reviewing the guidelines thoroughly to prevent miscommunication, especially when weather conditions change abruptly. Castro pointed out instances where advisories are issued based on current weather conditions, only for those conditions to improve or worsen unexpectedly later in the day.

'This needs to be studied to avoid miscommunication and prevent parents and children from being confused about what time they should report to school or whether they should attend class,' Castro stated. She mentioned that the proposal includes involving local governments in the announcement process, but stressed the need for a coordinated system based on weather alert levels to determine whether the announcement should come from local officials or the Department of Education (DepEd).

When questioned about the timeline for finalizing the guidelines, Castro assured that the process is being expedited, as delays in announcements impact many, particularly children and parents. Education Secretary Sonny Angara also noted that the agency plans to submit a proposed executive order to President Marcos, aimed at overhauling the existing rules on class suspension and resumption.

The proposed executive order seeks to grant local officials and school heads increased authority to suspend or resume in-person classes based on actual conditions in their localities.