On class suspension: Unified scheme

CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — Cebu City Mayor Nestor Archival has announced that he will convene all barangay captains and other concerned entities on February 19 to establish a unified scheme for localized class suspensions, stressing that the safety of schoolchildren must be the foremost concern.

Archival said the meeting will ensure close coordination among barangay leaders, schools, both private and public, and disaster officials so that decisions on suspending classes are timely, localized, and responsive to sudden weather changes.

“No.1, tagaan gyud nato’g importansya ang safety sa mga kabataan especially now nga dili ka kahibaw kalit la’g uwan, unya init, unya muuwan na sad,” Archival told reporters in an interview, a day after his sudden suspension of classes last Tuesday.

With this, barangay captains and the schools can declare suspensions themselves. “Dili na kinahanglan mupadong pa nako…Sometimes man gud ang uwan, naa ras area sa bukid ra,.. unya dinhi sa ato, wala…” added the mayor.

Erratic weather has been experienced even in Cebu City, with sudden downpours and localized flooding even outside typhoon season.

Archival acknowledged criticisms of late announcement, saying this paved the way for his decision to meet with barangay officials together with the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, DepEd, PAGASA, and both public and private schools to formulate a scheme to avoid confusion.

“That’s why we need to have a scheme, maglingkod tanan, public, private schools and DepEd, PAGASA, unsaon nato ron…kinsay mohatag og announcement…Kay ug ako, daghan kaayong masuko nganong musulti naman ka’g 11 o’clock na, natug naman mi…unya nganong musulti man sad ka og alas 6 na, tua naman mi sa eskwelahan,” Archival said.

City Councilor Harold Kendrick Go also called for reform, proposing a resolution that would set clear-cut-off times for announcements.

He suggested advisories should be issued no later than 10:00 PM, with an absolute deadline of midnight, except in unforeseen emergencies.

“In many countries, advisories are clear before people go to sleep. Parents can plan, students stay safe, and there is no unnecessary travel. We can do better,” Go said.

Go cited global practices: in Japan, announcements are made before 9 PM; Singapore and Korea issue advisories in the evening; in the United States, notices are typically released between 6–10 PM.

By contrast, the Philippines often announces suspensions early in the morning, leaving parents and students already prepared or en route to school.

Archival’s directive also comes in the wake of a viral video from Lusaran showing schoolchildren negotiating a precarious trail along a swollen riverbank. The mayor, who grew up in the mountains, said he understands the risks firsthand.

“Ako gyud gitan-aw…Ako taga bukid man gyud ko ang mga bata, kami maglakaw gyud mi sa kilid … mao man ng areaha hawan,” he said.

He is asking barangay officials to monitor children’s routes to and from school, ensure they are safe, and develop alternative trails farther from riverbanks.

“Akong hangyo ‘ron sa mga kapitan karon nga nasa kabukiran ilang i-guide ang mga bata kon asa sila muagi especially in times of flooding…Kato’ng nga time, it was extraordinary to kay naay flood nga kusog kayo unya ang mga bata naglakaw sa kilid sa sapa…Then again, akong tagaa’g kamanduan nga make sure nga ang mga bata nga naglakaw going to the school and going back to sa ilang mga panimalay nga mabatanyan sa ilang mga barangay officials,” Archival said.

He added that barangay officials must build safer trails. “Ug magbuhat silag trail…didto man gud sa bukid kon unsa na’y naagian, mao gyud na’y kasagaran again…Karon, gusto nako magbuhat silag dan nga layo-layo kilid sa sapa aron didto muagi.”

A few years back, former mayor Michael Rama issued an Executive Order empowering school heads—both public and private—to suspend classes independently in response to extreme weather.

The order recognized Cebu City’s unique terrain, where upland barangays often face floods or landslides while lowland areas remain unaffected as well as climate change.

Archival said his administration is now working to strengthen coordination so that announcements are clear, timely, and trusted.

“I cannot make an announcement unless I have documents, because I will be held accountable. That’s why we need a scheme that works for everyone,” he said.