• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Twelve local government units in Negros Occidental suspended classes from April 1 to 2 due to high heat index forecast.
Those that observed no face-to-face classes for two days were the highly-urbanized Bacolod City, municipalities of E.B. Magalona, Hinobaan, Isabela, Binalbagan, Candoni, Cauayan as well as cities of Bago, Silay, Talisay, Kabankalan and Himamaylan.
Provincial Disaster Management Program Division head Irene Belle Ploteña said the towns of Ilog and Moises Padilla are leaving it “to the discretion of school heads to suspend classes.”
According to state weather bureau PAGASA, the forecast heat index in Negros Occidental is 41 degrees Celsius on April 1 and 42 degrees Celsius on April 2.
While the El Niño phenomenon will still be felt until August this year, Plotena said that the La Niña is expected to be in effect with the onset of the southwest monsoon (Habagat) in June.
She advised Negrenses to stay indoors and keep hydrated, especially from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Bacolod City Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez encouraged schools in pre-school, elementary, secondary and senior high levels to adopt alternative delivery modes for instructional methods to benefit their students.
Benitez, however, said that private schools with air-conditioned rooms and tertiary level institutions may exercise their discretion to continue with face-to-face classes.
Those who have shifted to modular or online distance learning are Bago City, Silay City, Talisay City, Himamaylan City, E.B. Magalona and Binalbagan.
On the other hand, Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez said his decision not to suspend face-to-face classes for all levels in both public and private “comes after careful consideration of geographical layout, autonomy of school heads and general advisory on our local conditions.”
“Our geographical terrain ranges from mountains to coastlines, and our schools experience weather conditions differently,” he pointed out.
Benitez added that he trusts school heads “to make informed decisions about the best mode of learning for their students whether it is in-person or through alternative delivery modes”. | GB
