Duterte signs law allowing adjustment of school opening beyond August

Duterte signs law allowing adjustment of school opening beyond August

President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a bill allowing the president to adjust the opening of classes beyond August or any date during state of calamity or emergency.

With this new law, the President, upon the recommendation of the DepEd Secretary, may set a different date for the start of the school year during a during state of calamity or emergency in the entire country or in select areas.


Duterte signed into law on July 17, the Republic Act (RA) 11480 that empowers the President upon recommendation of the DepEd Secretary, to set at any date the opening of classes in the entire  Philippines or in selected affected areas in times of state of calamity or emergency.

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RA 11480 amended Republic Act 7797, which set the opening of classes as early as the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August.

The law covers all basic education schools, including foreign or international schools in the Philippines.

This law also allows the conduct of Saturday classes for elementary and secondary levels.

The Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Briones in an interview with ABS-CBN said that the upcoming school year would push through with the scheduled opening of classes despite the new law.