Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian—NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian has urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to ensure that its protocols for the looming super El Niño protect students without worsening learning loss, stressing the need for localized rather than blanket class suspensions.
“El Niño not only threatens the safety of students, but also their ability to learn. We must ensure that our students’ knowledge does not decline because this will worsen our education crisis,” Gatchalian said in a statement on Sunday.
He cited a policy note by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which found that a typical public elementary school lost 20 teaching days during School Year 2025-2026 because of hazard-related class suspensions.
The policy note also found that for every suspended school day, around 1.4 days of reading progress were lost.
The DepEd recently announced its 4H Framework—Hayo (go ahead), Hinay (be careful), Hinga (rest) and Hinto (stop)—to guide the suspension of learning activities amid the threat of El Niño.
Under Hayo, which represents manageable conditions, face-to-face classes continue on campus with thermal adaptations such as scheduled water breaks, shifting outdoor activities to early morning or shaded areas, and allowing flexible or PE attire.
When conditions escalate to Hinay, indicating heat stress, schools may adopt modified class days paired with structured home-based or hybrid learning.
At the Hinga level, which signifies extreme heat caution or a loss of water supply, academic demands are substantially reduced to prioritize well-being. Schools rely on supplementary learning packets, short literacy and numeracy activities, and broadcast resources via DepEd TV and radio.
Under Hinto, which denotes unsafe heat index conditions, or when the heat index reaches the danger level of 42°C and above, academic activities are suspended while schools maintain essential communication, safety checks, and psychosocial support referrals.