ILOILO City - Some 2,520 public schools in Western Visayas shifted to alternative learning delivery mode (ADM) on Monday following the suspension of face-to-face classes due to bad weather. In an interview, Hernani Escullar Jr., Department of Education Western Visayas information officer, said 532 schools in Iloilo province; 82 in Guimaras; 537 in Antique; 66 in Iloilo City; 70in Bacolod City; and 1,233 in Negros Occidental, cancelled face-to-face classes. 'We have monitored the suspension of classes in 17 school divisions. There are areas where in-person classes continue, but based on our guidelines, if ever their local government units will declare the suspension of in-person classes, automatically we will shift to alternative delivery mode to protect the children,' he said. He urged parents to help ensure learning continuity while children are in the comfort of their homes. The shift to ADM is counted as a one-class day based on the guidelines, so they would not have to extend classes at the end of th e school year. 'That is why we call on our parents. We want to protect their children, in turn, we request them to ensure their kids are studying,' Escullar said. He said as per the report of their disaster risk reduction coordinator, no facilities of the DepEd in Western Visayas were damaged due to the bad weather. Source: Philippines News agency