Elementary pupils in Cebu City may attend face-to-face classes as early as 5:30 a.m. and finish by 10 a.m. under a proposal seeking to reduce their exposure to extreme heat during the anticipated 2026-2027 Super El Niño.
Councilor Dave Tumulak filed a resolution asking Mayor Nestor Archival Sr. to coordinate with the Department of Education (DepEd) and elementary schools to consider temporarily adjusting class schedules in both public and private institutions.
The proposal recommends holding in-person classes from 5:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. from Monday to Thursday, followed by Modular Distance Learning (MDL) every Friday.
It also sets different instructional hours depending on the pupils’ grade levels. Kindergarten pupils would attend three hours of classes, while Grades 1 and 2 would have four hours and 20 minutes.
Grade 3 pupils would have four hours and 30 minutes of instruction, while Grades 4, 5 and 6 would have six hours.
The resolution calls for supplementary learning arrangements to cover instructional hours not included in the proposed face-to-face schedule. However, the arrangement may require further clarification, particularly for Grades 4 to 6, whose proposed six-hour instructional time exceeds the four-and-a-half-hour morning schedule.
Tumulak’s measure cites DepEd Memorandum No. 064, Series of 2026, issued on Oct. 26, which outlines preparedness and protective measures for the anticipated Super El Niño.
It also refers to Executive Order No. 130, issued on Oct. 28, which establishes guidelines for suspending and resuming classes, school activities and on-site work during emergencies and other conditions affecting learning institutions.
The order authorizes local chief executives, as chairpersons of their respective local disaster risk reduction and management councils, to declare localized class suspensions based on documented risk assessments and prevailing conditions, in coordination with education authorities.
The proposal comes after Cebu City officials and educators discussed ways to protect pupils from rising temperatures without unnecessarily disrupting their education.
Archival earlier said teachers and school administrators had presented varying views on suspending classes during hot weather.
Some public school teachers said classrooms could provide more comfortable learning environments than students’ homes, particularly for children living in crowded houses with limited ventilation. Others observed that pupils might spend time outdoors when classes are suspended.
Private schools, meanwhile, raised concerns that students sent home could use air-conditioning units, potentially increasing household electricity consumption.
“Schools have different situations. That is why the teachers and school administrators agreed to submit a position paper so we can send their concerns to DepEd in Manila and make them aware of what is happening here,” Archival said.
The proposed schedule would still need coordination with DepEd and the schools before the city could implement any changes.
📷 DepEd Banahaw Elementary School / Facebook
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