DILG urges forecast-based class suspensions to avoid last-minute announcements

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) is instituting earlier, forecast-based class suspensions across local government units (LGUs) to spare families from the chaos of last-minute announcements during severe weather events.

DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla on Tuesday said the shift is part of a “whole-of-nation approach” aimed at streamlining disaster response, particularly in education.

“Dati ina-announce iyan alas-siyete ng umaga habang bumabagyo, minabuti na namin na alas-kuwatro ng hapon ang latest time ng announcement namin para iyong mga magulang hindi na nag-iisip, ang mga bata hindi na rin nag-iisip,” said Remulla during the Post-State of the Nation Address (SONA) Discussions.

(Before, suspensions were announced at 7 a.m. while it was already raining. Now we’ve made it 4 p.m. the latest time for announcements so that parents and children aren’t left guessing.)

Remulla emphasized the importance of proactive announcements guided by scientific data from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), noting that previous inconsistencies among cities had caused confusion.

“San Juan nagsu-suspend, Quezon City hindi pa; minsan Manila nagsu-suspend, Mandaluyong hindi pa. Ngayon, isa na lang ang titingnan nila para makita nila,” he said.

(San Juan would suspend, but Quezon City has not. Sometimes Manila has suspended but Mandaluyong has not. Now, everyone will just look at one source.)

The initiative is also leveraging digital tools. The DILG’s social media presence, particularly on Facebook, has become a key information hub. What started with just 3,000 followers has now grown to 1.2 million — a testament, Remulla said, to the public’s growing trust in centralized announcements.

In his fourth SONA on Monday,  the President underscored the importance of continuous improvement in disaster response, particularly in the face of climate-induced events such as floods and typhoons, a sentiment shared by Remulla.

“We are guided by science,” Remulla said, noting that weather models and hazard maps help the DILG anticipate where heavy rainfall is likely to strike. “Alam na namin kung saan mangyayari.”

(We already know where these will occur.)

He added that better coordination and early information dissemination are essential pillars of disaster preparedness — one that local governments must fully commit to. — RF, GMA Integrated News