Schools in Cebu City may be allowed to decide whether to suspend face-to-face classes when air pollution levels remain below an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 200, while readings exceeding the threshold would trigger automatic suspensions.
Kenneth Siasar, chief of staff to Mayor Nestor Archival, said during a press conference earlier this week that school administrators would assess whether students could safely attend in-person classes when pollution levels remain below the threshold.
Schools could also require students to wear masks if face-to-face classes proceed, he said.
Siasar clarified, however, that the arrangement would not prevent Archival from ordering suspensions if air quality conditions pose a threat to public health.
“If the mayor sees that it affects the general public, then the mayor will still intervene because he is the mayor of Cebu City,” Siasar said.
The proposal seeks to balance students’ health with concerns about learning disruptions caused by repeated class suspensions and shifts to alternative learning arrangements.
Siasar cited a study discussed by a university that reportedly found students learned less through modular instruction when classes were repeatedly suspended.
He said Archival was weighing both educational continuity and the health risks students face when exposed to polluted air.
Siasar also referred to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to emphasize the importance of physical well-being in learning.
“What will students learn or gain in knowledge and wisdom under extreme conditions if their health is affected?” he said, paraphrasing the mayor’s position.
The discussions come amid differing assessments of the sources of Metro Cebu’s deteriorating air quality.
The Environmental Management Bureau 7 (EMB 7) has attributed recent pollution spikes primarily to local emissions, including vehicle exhaust and industrial operations, combined with weather conditions that prevent pollutants from dispersing.
Cool morning temperatures and weak winds can trap fine particulate matter, including PM2.5, near the ground, worsening air quality.
Archival, however, has questioned whether local emissions are the main driver, pointing to the possibility of regional haze, including smoke from forest and land fires in Indonesia.
EMB 7 has said it found no direct evidence of Indonesian smoke reaching Metro Cebu during certain assessments.
Despite the differing views on the source of pollution, the city has suspended face-to-face classes during periods of concern and directed barangays to enforce restrictions against open garbage burning.
Under the proposed arrangement, schools would have greater discretion over in-person classes when the AQI remains below 200, while the mayor would retain authority to intervene when public health concerns warrant it.
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