FACE-TO-FACE classes can be suspended if a particular place experiences extreme heat, Department of Education Assistant Secretary Francis Bringas said Tuesday.

This was following the two-day suspension of face-to-face classes in Bacolod City due to the extreme heat which was imposed by Mayor Albee Benitez.

“Last year meron nang situation na ganito at nakapag-issue na tayo ng directives last year para sa mga field offices na maaaring mag-suspend ng face-to-face classes…kung sobrang init na talaga ang nararamdaman sa kanilang mga school,” Bringas said in an interview with Teleradyo.

The DepEd official said that the school heads and local government unit would base the temperature on the heat index forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

However, face-to-face classes may still be suspended depending on the heat experienced in a particular area regardless of the heat index.

“Kapag umaabot na sa scale na critical or masyado nang mainit, kinakailangan na nilang mag-suspend… May mga instances na kahit mababa ‘yung heat index pero ‘yung nafifeel mong init ay iba, so maaari ring gawin ‘yan,” Bringas said.