Quezon City updates emergency class suspension guidelines

Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte has issued Memorandum Circular No. 3 Series of 2025, updating guidelines for class suspensions due to various emergencies.

Under the new rules, public schools will suspend classes based on Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) levels, with specific grades affected depending on signal strength and localized conditions assessed by the Quezon City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (QCDRRMC).

Classes are suspended for extreme heat if iRISE UP forecasts a heat index of 42°C or higher; limited face-to-face classes may be held at 40-41°C.

In case of earthquakes, all public schools close during Intensity VI and above, while lower intensity events allow localized suspensions based on facility inspections by QCDRRMC or individual schools.

Poor air quality triggers class suspensions when the Quezon City Air Quality Monitoring Network reaches Alert Level 3 or higher, with severe conditions leading to total suspension across public and private schools.