Nationwide Public Schools Resume Operations Following Delays from Monsoon and Typhoon Impacts

MANILA — The Department of Education (DepEd) announced the full reopening of public schools across the country, which had initially been postponed due to severe weather conditions caused by the enhanced southwest monsoon and Super Typhoon Carina.

According to Philippines News Agency, the public education system returned to normal operations for the 2024-2025 school year. Legaspi confirmed in a Viber message that all schools have resumed classes and are no longer being used as evacuation centers. The initial delay affected the start of classes on July 29 for some 1,063 schools, particularly hitting Central Luzon with 457 schools, the Ilocos Region with 310, Metro Manila with 225, Calabarzon with 67, and Soccsksargen with four.

The Department also reported an enrollment achievement of 87.2 percent of its target for the current school year, with 24,178,797 students registered out of an anticipated 27,722,835 from elementary to senior high school levels in both public and private sectors, including 290,461 enrollees in the Alternative Learning System (ALS). Calabarzon reported the highest number of enrollees, tallying up to 3,516,873, followed by Central Luzon and Metro Manila.

In related developments, around 1,000 kindergarten learners in Manila have received free school supplies as part of a local initiative to support early education. Mayor Honey Lacuna led the distribution at the Fugoso (Delpan) Sports Complex and in Barangay 830 in Paco. The kits included school bags, rubber shoes, notebooks, pencils, raincoats, books, hygiene kits, and shirts. Mayor Lacuna highlighted the importance of teaching values alongside academic subjects, drawing comparisons to educational practices in Japan.