Education Supervisor Judica Dasco of DepEd-CAR in an interview on PTV Cordillera’s Isyu at Serbisyo, said the mechanism is anchored on DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026 (Learning Continuity in Emergencies) and implemented alongside DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2024, which sets revised rules on class and work suspension during disasters.
Four levels, clear local terms
The framework uses the local terms Hayo, Hinay, Hinga, and Hinto to guide schools on how to respond as conditions change:
Hayo (Continue) – Normal face-to-face classes proceed when there is no immediate threat to the physical and mental health of the school community.
Hinay (Ease-in) – In-person classes are adjusted or temporarily suspended due to risks, but learning continues at home through modular, online, or asynchronous activities. Dasco noted this was the level recently applied in Baguio City during inclement weather.
Hinga (Check-in) – Activated after severe calamities to prioritize psychological recovery.
Academic workload is significantly reduced; teachers conduct check-ins with learners, provide emotional support, and assign light, therapeutic activities to help them process trauma and stress.
Hinto (Stop) – Complete suspension of academic learning and school activities to give way to full recovery, rehabilitation, and restoration of normal conditions.
School heads can decide earlier based on local hazards
While local government units issue general suspension advisories, Dasco emphasized that school heads and principals have the discretion to shift to a higher response level earlier or adjust operations based on specific hazards in their area.
“Even under a general advisory, if a school is situated near a river or landslide-prone slope, the principal may suspend operations to ensure the safety of learners and personnel,” she said.
This flexibility is provided under DepEd’s 2026 guidelines, which require every school to prepare a Learning and Service Continuity Plan and to map out risks, resources, and alternative delivery modes in advance.
Learning paired with psychosocial support and safety measures
To help learners and educators cope, DepEd integrates trauma-informed teaching and provides psychological first aid and counseling services during and after emergencies.
The department also facilitates educational assistance to replace school supplies, books, and teaching materials damaged by floods or strong winds, including through emergency learning kits pre-positioned for quick deployment.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education issued an official statement mourning the loss of the lives of five learners in a landslide in Barangay Guisad Surong, Baguio City. Two Grade 7 learners at the Guisad Valley National High School, one Grade 3 and one Grade 4 learner at the Bonifacio Elementary School, and an Alternative Learning System learner were among the 10 persons who perished when a landslide buried their houses on the evening of Aug 9, 2026, as Habagat dumped heavy rain in Baguio City for the past days. **JDP/MAWC-PIA-CAR
