PAMPANGA, Philippines (October 13, 2025) — Pampanga First District Representative Carmelo “Pogi” Lazatin Jr. is urging the Department of Education (DepEd) to temporarily suspend face-to-face classes nationwide for at least two weeks following a string of earthquakes that recently struck various parts of the country.
Through House Resolution No. 368, Lazatin called on the DepEd to allow schools — both public and private — to shift to alternative learning methods, such as online or modular classes, while crafting comprehensive disaster and emergency response guidelines for education institutions.
The lawmaker’s proposal follows a series of tremors in recent weeks — including those recorded in Cebu (September 30), La Union (October 9), Davao (October 10), and Zambales and Surigao del Sur (October 11).
Lazatin said social media posts and reports from the affected areas revealed that students and teachers were caught unprepared during the incidents, leading to confusion and panic.
“Our country is naturally prone to calamities such as typhoons, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions. The recent quakes showed that semi-regular drills are not enough,” Lazatin said. “We need clear, actionable guidelines that detail how school administrations, teachers, and students should respond during emergencies.”
He added that copies of the resolution will be forwarded to DepEd’s national and regional offices for consideration.
Lazatin emphasized that while the resolution is non-binding, it echoes the concerns of parents over their children’s safety in schools.
Earlier, on October 9, the Pampanga solon also met with officials from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Anti-Cybercrime Group to address the surge of bomb threat hoaxes circulating on social media within his district. Representatives from DepEd were present in the meeting, where law enforcement agencies shared protocols and preventive measures for handling such threats.
Lazatin’s latest call aims to strengthen school preparedness and ensure the safety of students and personnel amid recurring natural and man-made threats across the country.
