Other factors should be considered in suspending classes —solon

A lawmaker has urged local government and school officials to consider more factors outside of PAGASA's storm signals in suspending classes and work in their area when there is a cyclone.

"Bilang Chair ng House Committee on Public Information, hinihimok ko ang mga principal, school administrator, mayor, at governor na huwag lang sanang storm signals ang  maging batayan ng sa pagsuspindi ng klase at trabaho," BH party-list Representative Bernadette Herrera-Dy said Friday.

"Batid na ng mga mayor at governor ang mga geohazards sa kani-kanilang lugar," she added.

Dy expressed support for House Bill 6072 or the Rationalized Cancellation of Work and School Classes Act of 2017, which seeks for a "timely, evidence-based and people-centric suspension and cancellation of classes and work."

Authored by 1-Ang Edukasyon party-list Representative Salvador Belaro Jr, HB 6072 said the cancellation of classes and work will consider "not just storms, but also floods, landslides, earthquakes, tsunami, storm surge, toxic chemical spills, fire, active shooter situations, hostage-taking, kidnapping, banditry, terrorism, and state of emergency."

HB 6072 states that classes at early childhood, preschool, kindergarten and elementary grade levels will be immediately and automatically suspended upon announcement of a competent official or when Public Storm Signal No. 1 is declared over the area.

Other determinants include widespread flooding at gutter-level, Intensity IV earthquakes and aftershocks, toxic chemical spill near schools, and Fourth Alarm fires within and up to 100 hundred meters radius from a school.

The same goes for classes at junior and senior high school, technical training institutions and undergraduate college levels at Public Storm Signal No. 2, flooding at one foot or more above gutter level, heavy rainfall or thunderstorm advisory, announcement of second alarm water levels of river or rivers, Intensity V, tsunami alert for coastal areas, toxic chemical spills, or Fifth Alarm fires within and up to 100 hundred meters radius from a school.

Public Storm Signal No. 3, flooding and landslides rendering streets impassable, heavy rainfall or thunderstorm advisory, announcement of second alarm water levels of river or rivers, toxic chemical spills, or Task Force Alpha fires within and up to 100 hundred meters radius from a school will lead to the immediate suspension of graduate level of higher education and office work.

"Sa Executive Order No. 66, series of 2012, mayroong malawak ba discretion ang mga mayor at governor sa pagsuspinde ng klase. Kung naghahanap sila ng gabay, nariyan ang rainfall warnings, geohazard maps, flood warnings, at iba pang science-based reasons," Dy said.

"Ngayon pa nga lang ay maaari na sila magpalabas ng pre-emptive evacuation at preventive suspension of classes and work in specific areas para maka-iwas sa perwisyo ang kanilang mga nasasakupan. Daig po ng maagap ang masipag," she added. —Rie Takumi/KBK, GMA News