DepEd orders ‘Juan time’ for all schools, offices

Education Secretary Armin Luistro. INQUIRER file photo

In all schools across the country, the bells should ring at exactly the same time.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered all schools and education offices across the country to synchronize their clocks and time recording devices as part of  the government’s program to set a standard Philippine time and beat the habit of being late.

In an order issued November 3, Education Secretary Armin Luistro directed all school heads, regional and Central Office officials to set all clocks and other timekeeping devices to the same time in order to “to synchronize all the activities of the DepEd from the Central Office to the school level.

“All DepEd offices are hereby directed to set all clocks in their offices and school properties, including time recording devices, to match Philippine Standard Time (PST),” Luistro said in DepEd Order No. 86.

The PST may be obtained on the website of the country’s official timekeeper, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (www.weather.gov.ph).

“It is therefore directed that all schedules—class times, meetings, activities, events be based on the PST. These schedules must start on time and end on time,” Luistro said.

The Department of Science and Technology recently launched the “Juan Time” project, which aims to set a standard time for all Filipinos in hopes of encouraging timeliness and to beat the Filipino habit of being late.