Marcos backs return to old school calendar amid extreme heat

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is open to revert to the old school calendar amid the hot weather being experienced throughout the country.

In an ambush interview in San Juan City on Wednesday, Marcos attributed the extreme weather to climate change.

"Ang naging problema diyan is the climate change dahil nagbago 'yung season. At kagaya ngayon, hindi naman natin inaasahan na ganito. Maaga pa mainit na talaga kaya't kailangan namin mag-adjust," Marcos told reporters.

(The problem is climate change, the change in the season. Right now, we really didn't expect it to be like this. This early, it's already hot that's why we need to adjust.)

"Hangga't maari gusto nating ibalik sa dati dahil medyo may consensus na talaga na mas maganda 'yung dating schedule," he added.

(As much as possible we really want to return to old schedule because there is already a consensus that it's better to go back to the old schedule.)

The President added that the government would exert all efforts to hasten the return to the old academic schedule.

The clamor for the return to the old academic calendar comes amid widespread suspension of classes because of the extreme heat.

The old academic calendar ran from June to March, with the school break from April to May.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has ordered the gradual return to the old academic schedule with the opening of classes for the school year 2024-2025 set for July 29, 2024, and closing on May 16, 2025.

The end of classes for the current school year (SY 2023-2024) was also pushed back for two weeks, scheduling it on May 31 instead of June 14. (PNA)