CHED suspends classes in seven Luzon regions

The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) suspended Friday classes in seven Luzon regions in anticipation of the expected landfall of typhoon "Pepeng" in northern Luzon on Saturday afternoon. A report on GMA News' Balitanghali said the CHED suspended classes for the rest of the day in colleges and universities in regions 1 (Ilocos Region), 2 (Cagayan Valley), 3 (Central Luzon), 4a (Calabarzon), 4b (Mimaropa), 5 (Bicol Region), and CAR (Cordillera Administrative Region). "Pepeng," which state weather forecasters said packs maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour near the center, is currently moving toward the Aurora-Isabela area in northern Luzon. The typhoon's strength and movement has prompted the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) to place 32 areas under storm alert signals. Weather forecasters said Signal No. 4 might even be declared in areas that will be hit by "Pepeng." Classes on all levels had been suspended this week in several areas in Luzon, including Metro Manila, due to tropical storm "Ondoy" which caused widespread floods and claimed hundreds of lives. Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said the Department of Education plans to get the school calendar back on track by having classes resume this coming Monday, although he said the DepEd would still examine how "Pepeng" will affect the country. "Kung walang 'Pepeng,' subukan natin mag-normalize ang pagpasok ng bata. Di pwedeng patuloy at magpermanente ang mga iskwela natin ang bakasyon. Gagawin natin, hintayin natin ang 'Pepeng' kung ano epekto nito nitong weekend (If there was no threat from 'Pepeng' we would have normalized the school calendar. This vacation cannot go on like this. But now we will have to wait for the effects of "Pepeng" this weekend before we decide when to resume classes)," he said in an interview on radio dzXL. But this early, Lapus said his department has scrapped the semestral break in the last week of October in favor of make-up classes. "Sa Sabado and sem break October 26 to 30, di na natin itutuloy ang break, tuluy-tuloy na ang klase (Saturdays and the semestral break will be for make-up classes)," he said. Due to "Pepeng," the Department of Education Bureau of Alternative Learning System also announced the postponement of the Alternative Learning System Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Test scheduled on Sunday in all the testing centers in Mindanao. In a statement, DepEd Undersecretary Vilma Labrador said the exam was put off because all the examiners will be coming from Luzon. “The new schedule will be announced later," she said. The test is supposed to measure the competencies of those who have not finished formal elementary or secondary education. Passers will be enabled to re-enter formal schooling, among others. - GMANews.TV