DepEd disown fake advisory on 3-month class suspension

By Paulo DS Papa

The Department of Education (DepEd) Regional Office in Bicol has denied the circulation of a false advisory claiming that face-to-face classes will be suspended from October to December due to a flu outbreak.

DepEd Bicol Public Affairs Officer Mayflore Jumamil clarified in an interview that while there has been a noticeable rise in flu cases among students, faculty, and non-teaching staff, this is typical during the seasonal transition from warm to cooler weather.

She emphasized that the current flu situation is not alarming and urged the public to refer only to the official social media pages of DepEd Philippines and DepEd Bicol for verified announcements.

Jumamil confirmed that the alleged three-month suspension of face-to-face classes being shared on social media is fake news.

However, she noted that the DepEd central office has authorized regional and division offices to assess the structural integrity of school buildings, especially in light of recent earthquakes and aftershocks reported across the country.

She explained that if any school buildings are found to be vulnerable to earthquakes or collapse, school management is permitted to implement alternative delivery modes of education and temporarily suspend face-to-face classes.