Malacañang on Monday said it would be better if the shift to a trimester system undergoes a thorough study first and if public consultations are conducted regarding the plan to implement it for the incoming school year 2026–2027.

During a press conference, Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro emphasized that the proposal, initiated by the Department of Education (DepEd), is still under study and must be carefully reviewed before any decision is made.

She also said that there is no immediate move to shift public schools to a trimester system.

“Mas maganda lang po talaga na pinag-uusapan lahat ito ng mga stakeholders, ng mga interested parties, lahat po, para po ma-reach out yung ma-reach yung pinakamagandang programa para sa ating mga kabataan,” Castro said.

DepEd earlier said that they are looking into the shift as a “holistic approach” aimed at balancing students’ time management while providing a more flexible framework for improving teaching quality.

However, Malacañang stressed that the plan is still in its proposal stage and must undergo thorough evaluation.

“Ito ay proposal pa lamang po at inilalahad nila ang maaaring advantage ng pagkakaroon ng trimester ng DepEd na isinusulong ng DepEd,” Castro said.

Meanwhile, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) has also called for public consultations to ensure that any changes serve the best interests of students.

“Mas mainam na mas maaga pang pag-aralan gawin kung dapat itong i-implement,” she added.