Baguio city: The Department of Education in the Cordillera Administrative Region (DepEd-CAR) has advised school heads to assess local weather and road conditions before deciding on class suspensions, emphasizing that the safety of students and personnel must be prioritized.

According to Philippines News Agency, in an advisory issued on Sunday evening and shared on DepEd-CAR's official social media page, Regional Director Dr. Estela Cari±o stressed that no student should risk their safety out of fear of being marked absent. 'No student should be exposed to danger for fear of being marked absent in their class. Alternative delivery mode should be done so that learning does not stop. For all DepEd-CAR personnel, if going to your work station is between life and death, please choose life. You can always call your immediate superior for an alternative work arrangement,' Cari±o stated.

In a message on Monday, Cari±o highlighted the importance of localized decision-making, noting that even within the same province or city, weather and road conditions can vary significantly. The southwest monsoon enhanced by Typhoon Bising has recently brought heavy rains to the region, leading some local government units, such as Abra and Tabuk City, to suspend classes on July 4, while others continued with regular schedules. Despite experiencing intermittent downpours since June 30, Baguio City did not suspend classes.

Cari±o urged parents to make informed decisions regarding their children's safety. 'If there is no announcement of class suspension but the road going to the school is prone to landslide and other dangerous situations, parents should not let their children go to school,' she advised. Additionally, public school teachers have been instructed to be prepared to guide learners and parents through alternative modes of learning when face-to-face classes are suspended.