COMMISSION on Higher Education Chairman Prospero De Vera III reminded higher education institutions to adhere to the existing guidelines in suspending classes during typhoons and calamities.

De Vera made the statement after some institutions got confused recently with the Department of Education (DepEd) Order No. 037, s. of 2022.

The DepEd order stated that “private schools, as well as state universities and colleges and local universities and colleges have the option to abide by the provisions of the order as to cancellation or suspension of classes and work in schools in the event of natural disasters, power outages/power interruption, and other calamities.”

De Vera said that HEIs must abide by Executive Order No. 66, Series of 2012 which has long been the guidelines on the suspension of classes due to typhoons, flooding, and other weather disturbances and calamities.

CHED Memorandum Order No. 15, Series of 2012 stated that classes at the collegiate level, including graduate school, in the affected area, are automatically cancelled or suspended when Signal No. 3 is raised by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

Classes at the collegiate level, including graduate school, may be cancelled or suspended at the discretion of the local chief executives of local government units and/or heads of HEIs if special circumstances in their area such as flooding, road damage, etc. warrant it. HEIs are also advised to monitor announcements of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council where disasters and calamities are present.

If local chief executives suspended classes, HEIs within the area should follow.

“Until the amendment or revocation of the said Executive Order and CMO No. 15, Series of 2012, CHED instructs all HEIs to observe these guidelines in their respective campuses,” the CHED chief added.