MANILA, Philippines – Local government units (LGUs) should only suspend classes if Southeast Asian (SEA) Games activities would affect their areas, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) said Friday.
DILG’s latest pronouncement came after President Rodrigo Duterte did not approve of a Metro Manila-wide class suspension while the Philippines-hosting of the 30th SEA Games is ongoing, believing that such a move may have an adverse impact on the education of students.
Prior to Duterte’s decision, DILG suggested the suspension of classes in Metro Manila and some adjacent provinces to help ease traffic flow during SEA Games.
“Guided by President Duterte’s decision not to suspend classes in all schools in Metro Manila and nearby regions, DILG is instead recommending the suspension of classes in at least 20 public and private schools, colleges, and universities in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Southern Luzon on December 2 to 6 to give way to the 30th SEA Games,” DILG said in a statement.
Such a recommendation is provided under DILG Memorandum Circular 2019-198, according to Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, adding that Interior Secretary Eduardo Año issued the memo following the request of the Philippine South East Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) to smoothen traffic flow during the biennial regional sports competition.
“Siguradong libo-libong tao at sasakyan ang dadagsa sa mga lugar na pagdadausan ng SEA Games para saksihan ang tagisan ng galing sa larangan ng sports,” Malaya explained.
(Surely, thousands of people and vehicles would go to areas where SEA Games will be held to witness the sports matches.)
“Dahil dito, nagpalabas ng Memorandum si Seretary Año sa mga mayor sa mga naturang lugar na suspendihin o kanselahin ang mga klase sa piling mga paaralan at unibersidad para kahit paano ay maibsan ang traffic at para na rin sa pagpapanatili ng kaayusan,” he added.
(Due to this, Secretary Año issued a Memorandum to all mayors of said areas to suspend or cancel classes in selected school at unviersities so that somehow traffic flow will ease and so that order will be maintained.)
Based on the DILG memo, the following areas and schools were recommended to suspend classes from December 2-6:
Metro Manila — St. Paul College-Pasig, Poveda, De La Salle University, De La Salle College of St. Benilde, St. Scholastica’s College-Manila, Arellano University School of Law-Manila, and Wesleyan College-Manila
Southern Luzon Cluster — Tagaytay Science National High School, City College of Tagaytay, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Rosa Science and Technology High School, Blessed Christian School de Santa Rosa, U.P. Los Baños, Christian School International, and San Antonio Elementary School
Subic Cluster — Lyceum of Subic Bay Palm Tree, WOW Recreation and Activity Center, Mondriam Aura College, and College of Subic Bay Montessori-Subic Bay
Clark Cluster — Systems Plus College Foundation and Angeles University Foundation
Malaya said mayors of these areas are likewise given the freedom to extend the suspension of classes beyond December 6 should they feel that it’s still needed in order to avoid problems with the SEA Games.
“The DepEd or school authorities may also declare class suspensions on their own authority if they wish to do so,” he noted. “We have provided the Mayors with the competition schedules, which will serve as their basis on determining the dates of the class suspension in these select schools.”