Malacañang said it will consider the request of Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla for authority to suspend classes based on his experience as former Cavite governor.

“Ito po ay pag-aaralan dahil kung ito naman po ay makakabuti sa mas nakakarami, magbibigay ng maaaring tugon ang Pangulo patungkol diyan,” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said in a press briefing on Thursday.

Castro made the remark when asked to comment on Remulla’s request. Remulla said he had handled the announcement of class suspensions when he was Cavite governor, which had prepared him to read rain patterns, geohazards, and coordinate with local government units (LGUs) in times of inclement weather.

While President Marcos has yet to officially comment on the matter, the prevailing system where LGUs declare class suspensions will remain, Castro said.

“As of the moment, kung ano ‘yung nagiging sistema natin sa kasalukuyan — kung saan ang mga liderato ng mga LGU ang siyang nagbibigay ng kanilang utos o order kung merong mga suspensyon ng klase — ‘yun po muna ang mananatili,” Castro said.

Castro acknowledged that there may be times when LGUs do not receive information quickly enough to help them decide whether to suspend classes or not.

“Dapat po talaga mas mabilis, para hindi pa po nakakalabas ang mga bata at mga magulang. Hindi na po naiipit kung nagkaroon man ng baha o traffic,” Castro said.

Castro said it will be up to the Department of Education to determine whether online learning will be implemented during typhoons, so that excessive class suspensions do not impede education. | PND