Over 2,500 Western Visayas schools shift to remote learning

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Due to adverse weather conditions, 2,520 public schools across Western Visayas have shifted to the Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) for learning.

Hernani Escullar Jr., information officer for the Department of Education (DepEd) Western Visayas, reported that as of 9 a.m. on Monday, September 16, class suspensions were implemented across 17 school divisions in the region.

The affected schools are distributed as follows:

• Iloilo Province: 532 schools
• Guimaras: 82 schools
• Antique: 537 schools
• Iloilo City: 66 schools
• Bacolod City: 70 schools
• Negros Occidental: 1,233 schools

Escullar noted that while some areas continue with in-person classes, if local government units (LGUs) decide to suspend them, schools will switch to ADM to keep students safe.

“We are monitoring the situation per division and will wait for announcements from the LGUs regarding the resumption of in-person classes. This shift is essential to protect our children, especially given the heavy rains and travel risks,” he said in an interview.

The Alternative Delivery Mode allows students to continue their education remotely using learning modules during the suspension of face-to-face classes. This approach counts as an official school day and helps avoid extending the academic calendar.

Escullar emphasized that each school head will determine the best way to implement ADM based on their situation, though learning modules are the most common method.

He also highlighted the crucial role of parents in ensuring their children continue learning during the suspension.

“Our parents need to ensure that their children keep studying because teachers cannot monitor them closely during this time. We are calling on parents to help us educate their children and ensure they continue learning at home, while we at DepEd will provide the necessary learning materials,” he stated.

Meanwhile, no DepEd facilities in the region have reported damage due to the weather.

As of 5 p.m. on the same day, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) indicated that Typhoon Gener continues to approach Northern Luzon.