Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) Chairman Emeritus Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. on Friday expressed concern that frequent weather-related class suspensions are causing students to fall behind academically.
In an interview on DZRH's Dos Por Dos, Ortiz-Luis said the repeated disruptions are affecting students’ productivity and reducing their actual classroom time.
“‘Yung productivity ng [estudyante] bagsak na bagsak. Ang estudyante natin nahuhuli na,” Ortiz-Luis said.
He noted that the Philippines already has a relatively high number of national holidays and school breaks compared with other countries in Asia, with weather-related class suspensions further limiting learning time.
While online and asynchronous learning may help address missed classes, Ortiz-Luis said not all students have reliable internet access or the necessary equipment at home.
“Ang problema lang hindi lahat ng lugar natin may internet, hindi lahat ng estudyante natin may access sa equipment, ‘yun ang problema,” he added.
Ortiz-Luis also pointed out that blanket class suspensions covering entire areas may sometimes disrupt learning unnecessarily, particularly when weather conditions vary from one locality to another.
He called on the government to improve and clarify the process for declaring class suspensions to minimize disruptions to students’ education.
Ortiz-Luis also suggested improving the country’s weather warning system, noting that alerts from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) sent to mobile phones can sometimes be startling and lack precise information on the timing and location of potential hazards.
He said a more accurate and localized warning system could help authorities make better-informed decisions on whether classes should be suspended.
Watch the full interview below.
