Bacolod, Three Other LGUs Suspend Classes Due to Heat

By Glazyl M. Jopson

BACOLOD CITY – Four local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental suspended face-to-face classes on Thursday due to extreme heat.

Mayor Alfredo “Albee” Benitez issued an executive order suspending in-person classes from preschool to senior high school in both public and private schools in Bacolod City on Thursday and Friday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) La Granja Station in La Carlota City forecasted heat indices of up to 40 degrees Celsius on March 6 and 41 degrees Celsius on March 7.

“For the safety and welfare of the students of Bacolod City, there is a need to declare the suspension of classes,” Benitez stated in the executive order.

The mayor clarified that private schools with air-conditioned classrooms and tertiary institutions may decide whether to continue face-to-face classes.

Benitez also encouraged schools to shift to modular distance learning, performance tasks, projects, or make-up classes to ensure learning competencies are met.

The cities of Himamaylan and Kabankalan also canceled classes at all levels in both public and private schools on Thursday.

Kabankalan Mayor Benjie Miranda announced that classes would resume on March 7.

“Upon consultation with the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and other stakeholders, it was determined that there is a need to cancel classes for the safety of the students,” Miranda said in his executive order.

In E.B. Magalona town, classes at all levels were shortened to half-day sessions on Thursday.

The heat index, a measure combining air temperature and humidity, has prompted safety concerns across Negros Occidental, leading LGUs to prioritize the well-being of their students.