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Schools may reopen during local class suspensions under new Marcos order

New executive order allows schools to resume classes during local suspensions if conditions are safe.

New York Editorial News Desk November 3, 2026 1 min read

The Brief

  • Executive Order 130 permits schools to resume classes if deemed safe and approved by local officials.
  • The order replaces Executive Order 66 of 2012 and covers all public and private schools.
  • Three types of suspensions are now defined under the new guidelines.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order 130 on October 28, allowing schools to resume in-person classes even while a mayor's or governor's class suspension is still in effect.

The order, originally proposed by the Department of Education (DepEd), lets schools reopen earlier than a city- or province-wide suspension if an assessment confirms the campus is safe and accessible, and the local chief executive agrees.

Executive Order 130 replaces Executive Order 66 of 2012, aiming to 'rationalize and harmonize' the rules for suspending in-person classes and on-site government work.

The new order applies to all public and private schools, including colleges and technical-vocational institutions, and outlines three types of suspensions: automatic, localized, and granular.

Automatic suspensions are triggered by warnings or alerts from agencies like PAGASA and PHIVOLCS, based on technical thresholds to be detailed later. Localized suspensions can be decided by local officials based on risk assessments. Granular suspensions are called by the school itself, in coordination with local officials, if there is an actual or imminent threat to safety.

Schools may also choose to resume classes during a local suspension if they conduct a documented site assessment and get approval from the mayor or governor. This option applies only to localized suspensions, not those triggered automatically by hazard warnings.

Local officials must now specify the exact areas affected by a suspension, down to barangays and individual schools, and state the duration. They are required to consult with barangay captains, school division superintendents, and private school heads as needed.

Classes can resume once a suspension ends or a warning is lifted, downgraded, or expires, but only after required safety inspections. The order also states that suspending in-person classes does not automatically stop learning, and schools must switch to alternative delivery methods where possible.

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