Government suspension of in-person classes, which now has three new categories, will no longer automatically disrupt the learning of affected students under Executive Order (EO) No. 130, issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last Tuesday, which aims to end public confusion over such declarations.
Under the new five-page issuance dated 28 October 2026, but was only released to the public last Tuesday, the chief executive said educational institutions and learning centers must implement learning continuity measures consistent with the policies of the concerned government agencies.
‘The specific learning continuity measures, delivery modalities, institutional planning requirements, funding consideration, and the grounds or criteria for the implementation of alternative learning continuity measures shall be prescribed in the guidelines issued pursuant to this Order,’ EO 130 stated.
The new issuance repealed the provisions of EO No. 66 (s. 2012) in the suspension of in-person classes and activities and onsite work in education institutions and learning centers.
EO 130 created a new framework, which divided the suspension and resumption of in-person classes and activities and onsite work into the following three categories: automatic suspension, localized suspension, and granular suspension.
It stated that individuals, agencies, and institutions, which have the power to suspend, or cancel in-person classes and onsite work also have the power to reinstate the said activities upon their determination that conditions are safe for the return of learners and personnel.
EO 130 also stressed it does limit the authority of the President to suspend or resume in-person classes, activities and onsite work.
Automatic suspension and resumption are based on prescribed technical thresholds and will take effect without further declarations based on the warning advisories of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA), Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB).
Local chief executives may issue localized suspensions and resumption based on local risk assessment and prevailing conditions in case there is no automatic suspension. This declaration will contain specific areas it covers and the period of the suspension.
Educational institutions and learning centers may issue granular suspension and resumption based on documented site-specific assessment subject to the guidelines for the implementation of EO 130 if there is no automatic and localized suspension.
‘There is a need to rationalize and harmonize the rules governing suspension and resumption of classes and activities, and onsite work in educational institutions and learning centers due to natural or human-induced hazards, while ensuring the uninterrupted delivery of quality education through risk-informed, science-based, locally responsive policies that support learning continuity,’ EO 130 stated.
The Department of Education (DepEd) in coordination with concerned government agencies was tasked to issue the implementing guidelines of EO 130 within 30 days after it was published in the Official Gazette on 3 November 2026.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) was required to ensure local government units facilitate and expedite the processing and issuance of building permits and safety clearances required by schools and coordinate and monitor the implementation of EO 130.
As for the Department of the Public Works and Highways, it was mandated to conduct site-specific assessments and mobilize its regional offices to assess affected educational facilities and related infrastructure following disasters and other hazards.
Disruption
With climate disruptions intensifying, ranging from severe typhoons to extreme heat driven by phenomena like Super El Niño, school disruption has become an increasingly pressing challenge, making this standardized framework critical for protecting instructional time while safeguarding learners and school personnel.
To reopen cleared campuses safely without waiting for broader declarations, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has authorized granular resumptions alongside localized suspensions by school heads and local executives, following the signing of EO No. 130.
The EO establishes a national framework for class suspensions and resumptions in schools and learning centers to curb instructional loss.
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Proposed by DepEd and other agency partners to amend EO No. 66 (s. 2012) regarding the suspension of in-person classes, educational activities, and onsite work in educational institutions and learning centers, the policy was developed following extensive consultations with school leaders, teachers, parents, learners, private school organizations, local government units (LGUs), and government partners. EO No. 66 continues to govern the suspension of work in other government offices.
The measure, titled Establishing a Framework for the Suspension and Resumption of Classes and Activities, and Onsite Work in Educational Institutions and Learning Centers, shifts from broad cancellations to targeted, evidence-based suspensions and resumptions of in-person classes, educational activities, and onsite work in all public and private learning institutions to balance learner safety with learning continuity.
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto facilitated crucial inter-agency meetings to align departments, streamline the policy framework, and fast-track the issuance of the measure.
The signing of the EO comes at an extremely opportune time as the country faces severe heat disruptions and extreme weather conditions brought about by El Niño.
Under the refined policy, localized and site-specific decision-making replaces blanket cancellations through three distinct mechanisms: automatic, localized, and granular.