DepEd: Wearing of school uniforms optional amid El Niño threat

Students at an elementary school in Quezon City line up during a flag ceremony in this file photo from June.

Miguel de Guzman

MANILA, Philippines — Students are no longer required to wear school uniforms as part of the measures to address the adverse effects of the super El Niño expected to persist until next year, Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced yesterday.

“There is no need to wear uniform, informal, anything, as long as it’s a little dignified, but we will not be strict with wearing uniforms because we know it’s hot inside the classrooms,” Angara said.

The move follows President Marcos’ directive for government agencies to prepare for the worst-case effects of the looming super El Niño, which is expected to bring drought or very dry conditions to nearly all provinces.

Science Secretary Renato Solidum said all provinces could experience drought or very dry conditions by the end of March 2027, although the severity would vary depending on rainfall levels in different areas.

Some provinces may experience more pronounced dry conditions only in the coming months.

Class suspensions

Beyond easing uniform requirements, DepEd is also considering class suspensions when temperatures exceed 40 degrees Celsius to protect students from severe heat during the impending El Niño phenomenon.

Angara raised the possibility during his agency’s budget hearing at the Senate, responding to concerns from Sen. Bam Aquino about public schools’ preparedness as more than 100 municipalities have already declared a state of emergency due to the looming phenomenon.

“When temperatures reach 40 degrees or higher, students should be sent home. In fact, they should be sent home even before that because they could develop headaches or nosebleeds,” Angara said.

He said local government units generally have the authority to suspend classes, but school administrators may also do so during emergencies.

Training the youth

Alongside measures to protect students from extreme heat, the Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is partnering with DepEd to strengthen school safety, disaster preparedness and youth development.

“The collaboration will focus on strengthening Red Cross Youth clubs in schools, providing training in first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and disaster risk reduction and management, while promoting mental health awareness, peer support and humanitarian values,” PRC chairman and CEO Richard Gordon said in a statement.

More efforts

Outside the education sector, other groups, agencies and local government units are also stepping up efforts to secure supplies, protect crops and help communities cope with prolonged dry conditions.

The National Water Resources Board is seeking P284.35 million for 2027 to strengthen water demand management, assess potential sources and monitor areas facing water stress outside Metro Manila.

The agency is looking into the Mindanao River Basin and parts of Negros Island, as well as selected cities and municipalities where groundwater availability needs to be assessed.

Meanwhile, the Sugar Regulatory Administration is preparing another round of cloud seeding operations in November, with P13 million allocated for the effort to help protect agricultural production from prolonged rainfall deficiency. — Neil Jayson Servallos, Rhodina Villanueva, Gilbert Bayoran, Gerry Lee Gorit, Josiah Antonio