Pre-emptive suspension of classes urged
By: Hanna C. Lacsamana, photo from City Government files
With the evolving weather patterns where monsoon or habagat – now typically accompanied with heavy rains and strong winds – feel like a typhoon, and especially when storm signals are raised, concerned authorities should be pre-emptive to ensure the safety of the public, particularly in the suspension of classes.
For Councilor Rocky Aliping, Baguio City Liga ng mga Barangay president, suspension of classes should be anticipative in order to protect students during inclement weather.
“During this period of rains and typhoons, our city government relies on reports from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, and the Department of Education. It’s not only the mayor who makes the decision (in suspending classes). As much as possible, we have to avoid instances where students are already in school when an announcement of class suspension is issued. Mas maganda, pre-emptive or dapat before they leave their houses, meron nang announcement ng suspensyon ng klase (It is better if it is anticipatory to announce the suspension of classes before they leave their houses), Aliping said.
As Liga president, Aliping also recommends to city constituents, particularly the parents or school administrators, to exercise discretion whether or not to send their children to school, especially those in the preschool and elementary levels.
“This is case-to-case basis. May mga areas na malayo ‘yung school, delikado ang terrain o kalsada. Dapat ikinukunsidera ang mga factor na ito
(There are areas far from the schools and have dangerous terrain or roads that should be considered factors), because our main objective is to protect our school children, including high school and college students,” he said.
Aliping considers the incident, where a Grade 7 student died during the height of the recent typhoon on the way home after classes were suspended midday, as isolated and unfortunate.
“It was unexpected, because the school administration sent the students home when the rains subsided. Hindi nga lang natin inaasahan na ganoon ang mangyayari (We did not anticipate the accident).”
He added barangay officials, as stewards in their respective jurisdictions, should consider the safety of infrastructures within their areas of responsibility and it is their role to monitor and report those that needed attention in order to avoid accidents especially during bad weather.
