I still remember one monsoon morning when I arrived at school, raincoat dripping, and found half my students missing. Those who came sat shivering beside open windows, their notebooks slightly damp, their focus drowned by the steady hum of rainfall on the roof.
Then, just as we began to warm up to our lesson, the text came in—“Classes are suspended.”
You could almost hear a collective sigh—some of relief, some of worry. Relief for safety, worry for the lessons that would have to wait… again.
If you’ve ever been a teacher in the Philippines, you know this scene by heart. The unpredictability of class suspensions, the confusion among parents, the scramble for announcements. But beyond the inconvenience lies something deeper: the learning we lose every time the rain wins over the school bell.
That’s why the Department of Education (DepEd)’s latest move to coordinate with agencies like DILG, CHEd, and EdCom 2 to create unified class suspension guidelines hits close to home for every Filipino educator.
📚 Why Every Missed Day Matters
When I first read that just one missed school day can lower a student’s math score by up to 12 points and science by 14, I had to pause. (Source: 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study).
That means ten missed days—something our country experienced more than once in a school year—could drop a learner’s achievement from average to alarming.
According to EdCom 2, over 11 million Filipino learners—that’s 42% of public school students—lost more than 20 days of classes last year due to climate disruptions.
It’s no longer just about whether to suspend classes. It’s about how to keep learning going even when the skies refuse to cooperate.
🧭 The Push for Unified, Timely Decisions
DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara said it perfectly:
“We cannot stop typhoons, but we can improve our preparations so that decisions would be fast, clear, and orderly when it comes to safety and the future of learners.”
This inter-agency effort aims to:
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Develop a standard advisory template for LGUs (through DILG)
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Require regional and division offices to report suspension frequency and impact
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Publish official data on lost school days for policy guidance
In short, it’s about clarity and coordination—a simple but powerful shift that can save thousands of hours of learning.
🌱 Teaching in Uncertain Weather
Let me share a confession. During the pandemic, I learned that even with online tools, nothing replaces the magic of face-to-face teaching. The laughter, the “Ma’am, I get it now!” moments, the quick group work huddles—they don’t quite translate on screen or in modules.
DepEd knows this too. That’s why, while strengthening Alternative Delivery Modes (ADM) and make-up class policies, the department acknowledges that these are supplements, not substitutes.
But as teachers, we can still take small steps to minimize learning loss when classes are disrupted:
💡 Try This: The “Rainy Day Learning Plan”
When you sense a suspension might happen:
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Prepare quick offline tasks that reinforce key concepts.
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Set up a class group chat or SMS list for easy updates.
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Assign “Learning Buddies”—students pair up to help each other catch up after disruptions.
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Reflect after each storm: What worked? What didn’t? How can we improve?
It’s not about perfection—it’s about persistence.
🧠 Did You Know?
Q: Why not just make up for lost classes at the end of the year?
A: Because learning is cumulative. Gaps left early in the year make it harder for students to grasp new topics later on. That’s why timely continuity plans are more effective than make-up days alone.
❤️ What the Rain Taught Me About Teaching
One of my students once said, “Sir, parang ulan, no? Hindi mo alam kung kailan titigil, pero sigurado kang darating.”
That line stuck with me. As teachers, we may not control the rain, the power outages, or the flood warnings—but we can control how we respond.
After one particularly storm-heavy semester, I started using short “storm journals” with my students. Whenever classes were suspended, they wrote reflections, doodles, or short science observations about the weather.
It wasn’t part of the curriculum—but it kept them learning. It made them feel that even when school was closed, their minds were open.
🌈 Moving Forward: Every Day Counts
DepEd’s unified suspension guidelines won’t just streamline announcements—they’ll help build a culture of preparedness and learning resilience.
Because every child deserves a classroom that adapts—not one that gives up when the rain falls.
As Secretary Angara reminds us,
“Our goal is to make every day of learning count, rain or shine.”
And maybe, that’s the heart of teaching itself—to keep showing up, even when the weather says otherwise.
🪞 Teacher Reflection Challenge
Think back to your last class suspension.
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How did you communicate with your students?
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What small learning activity could you have continued remotely?
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How can you build your own “rainy day” strategy this month?
Share your thoughts or your own storm-proof teaching ideas in the comments below. Let’s help each other make sure learning never stops—no matter the weather.
