Education Secretary Sonny Angara has issued comprehensive guidelines to help schools prepare for strong to very strong El Niño conditions forecasted by the state weather bureau PAGASA to persist through mid-2027.
The proactive measures under Department of Education (DepEd) Memorandum No. 64 s. 2026 aim to keep school environments safe, protect the health of learners and personnel, and ensure that learning continues throughout the anticipated dry spell.
“We cannot afford to wait until extreme heat hits before we act. Our plan this year is proactive, deliberate, and organized,” Angara said.
“We are making sure our schools are fully prepared to manage heat stress, water shortages, and health risks, protecting the safety and well-being of our learners and personnel without unnecessarily sacrificing precious classroom time.”
The policy takes effect immediately and will remain active until PAGASA officially announces the end of the 2026–2027 El Niño episode.
With PAGASA forecasting dry spells to peak before year-end, DepEd is shifting schools from reactive closures to organized, early preparation. Under the memorandum, extreme heat will no longer automatically trigger blanket, nationwide class suspensions. Instead, school heads will use a practical, localized decision-making tool which relies on daily indoor classroom temperature and humidity readings taken at 8 a.m., 12 noon, and 2 p.m.
Under the 4H framework, schools operating under the Hayo level, where the heat index remains below 27°C, will maintain regular face-to-face classes with scheduled hydration breaks. When conditions rise to the Hinay caution level between 27°C and 32°C, school heads may shorten in-person hours or transition to hybrid and flexible home-based schedules.
If heat levels reach the Hinga extreme caution stage between 33°C and 41°C, physical classes are suspended, and learners shift to lighter home-based tasks and health check-ins. Finally, under the Hinto danger level at 42°C and above, all physical and home-based academic activities are completely suspended for safety.
“Every community experiences weather conditions differently,” Angara emphasized. “Through our 4H framework and daily, classroom-level monitoring, we are empowering our school heads with the flexibility to adjust hours or shift to modular learning only when local conditions genuinely require it.”
The directive also outlines crucial health and facility safeguards across all basic education campuses. To promote comfort during hot days, teachers and learners are permitted to wear light, breathable alternative uniforms or previously issued DepEd collared shirts, provided they maintain appropriate standards of decency.
Schools are also instructed to assess water supply reliability, set up safe drinking stations, and utilize emergency procurement provisions to secure water filtration kits where necessary. To safeguard vulnerable learners, alternative supply arrangements will prevent disruptions in the School-Based Feeding Program, while school grounds must undergo electrical inspections and dry vegetation clearing under the Fire Code of the Philippines, alongside exploring long-term solar energy solutions.
To ensure immediate action without administrative bottlenecks, the policy authorizes flexible funding support. Schools are permitted to tap into Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE), Special Education Funds (SEF) through Local School Boards, Disaster Preparedness and Response Program (DPRP) allocations, and emergency procurement rules under the New Government Procurement Act (RA 12009).
The policy takes effect immediately and will remain active until PAGASA officially announces the end of the 2026–2027 El Niño episode.
