THE Department of Education (DepEd) said on Monday that public schools will implement new guidelines for learning continuity and infrastructure monitoring as the country braces for the effects of the looming Super El Niño.
“We are tightening our proactive, protective, and anticipatory responses to ensure the adverse effects of El Niño are mitigated,” Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara said in a news release.
The agency said schools will follow the 4H framework, or the Hayo [Continue], Hinay [Slow down], Hinga [Breathe], and Hinto [Stop], to determine localized adjustments during the weather phenomenon.
School heads and division superintendents determine each level based on their assessment of school-level risks, including water supply reliability, classroom thermal safety, electricity resilience, and fire hazard prevention.
Hayo [Continue] level enables face-to-face classes with thermal adaptations such as scheduled water breaks, shifting outdoor activities to early morning or shaded areas, and allowing flexible or physical education (PE) attire.
When weather conditions prompt heat stress, schools may signal the Hinay [Slow down] level to pair class days with structured home-based or hybrid learning.
Meanwhile, extreme heat caution or water supply loss indicates the Hinga [Breathe] level, allowing students to prioritize well-being and rely on supplementary learning packets, short literacy and numeracy activities, and broadcast resources via DepEd TV and radio.
In cases of unsafe heat index conditions, schools are advised to order Hinto [Stop] level, suspending academic activities while maintaining essential communication, safety checks, and psychosocial support referrals among students and staff.
“We are giving our school heads and division superintendents the practical flexibility to exercise sound judgment based on actual ground conditions, classroom ventilation, and water availability,” Mr. Angara said.
“We trust our field managers to make the right call for their communities.”
Schools Division Offices (SDOs) and school heads are also tasked to sustain the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) by developing contingency menus, sourcing local food, and maintaining buffer stocks of shelf-stable commodities for learners.
Schools are likewise directed to ensure water security and sanitation by repairing water leaks immediately, establishing safe drinking stations, and coordinating with local water utility providers to ensure rationing contingencies.
The state weather bureau said in June that El Niño is already active in the Tropical Pacific and could intensify into a “very strong” one until December, persisting until 2027.
Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is stepping up watershed restoration, forest protection and reforestation efforts to strengthen the country’s water security ahead of the return of El Niño, Palace Press Officer Clarrisa A. Castro said during a briefing on Monday.
Under Environment Secretary Juan Miguel T. Cuna, the DENR has intensified forest monitoring and targeted reforestation in watershed areas, including the provinces of Aurora, Bataan, Nueva Ecija and Zambales in Central Luzon, Ms. Castro said.
In Masbate, the agency is working with local government units and other organizations to plant more than 16,750 indigenous and mangrove seedlings in several parts of the province.
In Mindanao, it rehabilitated fire-affected peatlands, riverbanks, and protected areas in the Caraga Region to restore damaged ecosystems.
DENR field personnel have also intensified patrols against illegal logging in the Davao Region.
In Davao City, the agency partnered with local stakeholders to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the Panigan-Tamugan sub-watershed to help ensure a continuous water supply for the city.
“These are just some of the government’s long-term efforts to strengthen the country’s ecosystems and reinforce our water security in preparation for the return of El Niño,” Ms. Castro said.
The DENR will continue working with communities and local partners to protect the country’s watersheds and forests, she added. — Almira Louise S. Martinez and Pexcel John Bacon