By JEN BAYLON
Thirteen local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental, including capital Bacolod City, suspended face-to-face classes from April 1 to 2, due to the high heat index reported by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Irene Belle Ploteña, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office head, said yesterday the LGUs which suspended classes at all levels in public and private schools are the cities of Silay, Talisay, Kabankalan, Himamaylan, and Bago, as well as the towns of E.B. Magalona, Hinoba-an, Isabela, Binalbagan, Candoni, and Cauayan.
Ploteña said some schools in Bago, Silay, E.B. Magalona, Talisay, Binalbagan, and Himamaylan shifted to modular or online distance learning.
The municipalities of Moises Padilla and Ilog will leave the discretion to school heads for class suspension.
Pagasa reported that the heat index in Negros Occidental is expected to be within 41 to 42 degrees Celsius on April 1 and 2.
Due to the intense heat, Ploteña advised residents to stay hydrated and avoid exposure to the sunlight from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
She added that the El Niño phenomenon will be felt until August of this year.
The heat index, also known as the apparent temperature, represents how the heat is actually felt in the body, when relative humidity is combined with air temperature.
Meanwhile, Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, on Sunday night, March 31, also announced the suspension of classes in pre-school, elementary, secondary, and senior high school in the capital due to high heat index.
Benitez said private and tertiary schools may exercise discretion about continuing face-to-face classes.
Hernani Escullar, Department of Education in Western Visayas (DepEd-6) information officer, said the recent class suspensions covered at least seven schools division offices in the region.
Escullar said they ensure that students will meet the target learning competencies through monitoring and evaluation amid the suspensions.
Several schools have shifted to alternative delivery modes to ensure that the students’ learning is not disrupted by extreme weather conditions.
Last month, DepEd-6 said more than 200 public schools in Negros Occidental suspended classes due to intense heat./JB, WDJ