Key Highlights:

• Purpose: Requests the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to empower Local Chief Executives (LCEs) to decide on class and work suspensions in their localities, even without PAGASA-issued tropical cyclone signals or flood warnings.
• Legal Context:
  • Executive Order No. 66 (s. 2012) recognizes LCE authority in localized hazard response.
  • DepEd Order No. 022 (s. 2024) affirms LCE and school head discretion during extreme conditions.
• Rationale:
  • National blanket suspensions are often imprecise and disruptive.
  • Localized decisions ensure proportionality and responsiveness.
  • Frequent suspensions harm public service delivery and education quality.
• Policy Recommendation: Treat national suspension announcements as advisories, not mandates, allowing LCEs final judgment based on local risk assessments.