Rising respiratory consultations in Central Visayas have added urgency to discussions on when schools should suspend classes, prompting the Cebu provincial government to convene health experts, education officials and local government representatives on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
Gov. Pamela Baricuatro called an open forum on air quality and class suspensions at 3 p.m. at the Capitol Social Hall to develop practical guidance for schools and local authorities responding to deteriorating air conditions in Metro Cebu.
The meeting will bring together pediatricians, pulmonologists, Department of Education (DepEd) representatives, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), private schools, city and municipal governments, parent-teacher associations, and health and disaster risk reduction officers.
Participants will discuss how to interpret air quality readings, when conditions may warrant class suspensions and how schools can protect students’ health while ensuring continuity of learning.
Baricuatro said the forum would allow parents, teachers and school administrators to raise concerns and hear evidence from specialists.
“Mao nga ang Cebu Provincial Government nagpatawag ug Open Forum on Air Quality and Class Suspension,” the governor said.
Discussions will also cover how authorities can issue advisories promptly to give families and schools enough time to prepare when class suspensions become necessary.
Baricuatro clarified that mayors retain the authority to order localized class suspensions, in coordination with education officials and in accordance with national policies. The provincial government plans to work with local governments and partner agencies to improve coordination on air quality concerns.
“Ang ato mao ang paghatag ug avenue for everyone to discuss, understand the evidence, and work towards practical guidelines,” she said.
Data from the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH 7) showed that four hospitals recorded 3,524 respiratory consultations from July to September 2026, up from 2,778 during the same period in 2025.
At Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center (VSMMC), respiratory consultations reached 1,217 in the third quarter. The supplied hospital summary placed the comparable 2025 figure at approximately 956 to 996.
Monthly figures showed consultations at VSMMC rising to 465 in July from 300 a year earlier, and to 405 in August from 285. The number dropped to 347 in September, compared with 411 in the same month last year.
Pneumonia accounted for 530 of VSMMC’s respiratory consultations during the third quarter, including 221 cases in July, 157 in August and 152 in September.
Other recorded conditions included bronchitis, with 106 cases; nasopharyngitis and tracheitis, with 101 combined cases; chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with 89; and asthma, with 47.
The figures show an increase in respiratory consultations during the period but do not establish that air pollution caused or worsened the illnesses.
Photo by Jacq Hernandez
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