House OKs on second reading bill allowing president to revise school opening schedule

MANILA, Philippines — The bill which gives the Chief Executive the power to set a different date for the start of the school year in the event of a state of emergency or state of calamity has been approved on second reading by the House of Representatives.

In a voice vote, the lower chamber effectively amended Republic Act 7797 or “An Act To Lengthen the School Calendar From Two Hundred Days to Not More Than Two Hundred Twenty Class Days” with its approval of House Bill No. 6895.

Before the bill reached the plenary, the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture and the House Committee on Higher and Technical Education adopted the Senate version of the bill, which states that the date of the postponed school year opening will be based on the recommendation of the secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd).

“This bill seeks to allow the President some flexibility because of emergencies such as what we are experiencing right now to postpone or to delay the opening of the academic calendar,” Pasig City Rep. Roman Romulo said in sponsoring the measure.

The Senate also approved on third reading their version of the measure.

Currently, R.A. 7797 mandates the opening of classes between the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August.

But if the proposed measure is approved, the president would be allowed to postpone school opening beyond August.

The Education department has set the opening of classes, whether physically or virtually, on August 24.

On the other hand, President Rodrigo Duterte has said that he would not allow the opening of classes if students would crowd inside a classroom unless they are safe.

EDV