#WalangPasok : Know Updates About Class Suspensions

Stay updated with the latest announcements about class suspensions by searching the hashtag #walangpasok in your social media accounts like Facebook or Twitter. Searching #walangpasok will show you posts from different known news and government agencies (GMA News, ABS-CBN News, Rappler, PAGASA among others) about class suspensions including but not limited to, no classes (non-working day) due to typhoons or Habagat (Southeast monsoon), local and national holidays.

Aside from the hashtag #walangpasok, there are also several ways to answer student's most uttered question, "May Pasok Ba o Wala?" (Are there Classes or None?). Below are the different ways to help you informed about class suspensions:

1. Go to the official Facebook page of your school or university, and see if there's an announcement about suspension of classes.

2. You may also check the official Twitter account of your school or university, because there are some institutions that are more active on Twitter than on Facebook.

3. Visit the official Facebook Page of your Local Government Unit. Often, the LGU of a town or city declares class suspension for specific levels in times of typhoon or natural calamity. You can double check this by going to your school's FB Page.

4. Check Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED) official Facebook Pages, these government agencies are also very active on Facebook, as well as on Twitter. And sometimes, they also announce on their own pages when classes are suspended.

The DepEd has released an announcement in September 2011, regarding the specific rules on the suspension of classes in cases of typhoons and other calamities based on weather bulletins of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or PAGASA:

Classes in Pre-School and Kindergarten in all public and private schools will be automatically suspended with PAGASA Storm Signal Number 1.

Classes in Pre-School, Kindergarten, Elementary, and High School - including Senior High School - in all public and private schools will be automatically suspended with PAGASA Storm Signal Number 2.

Classes in all Levels are automatically suspended with PAGASA Storm Signal Number 3.

Localized suspension or cancellation of classes in both public and private elementary and secondary schools may be implemented by the school principal, the division superintendent, or LGU officials in the absence of Storm signal warnings declared by PAGASA.

PAGASA DOST is very active on Twitter, you can follow the agency to be informed about class suspensions.

5. Ask your teachers or professors by messaging their social media accounts, Facebook/Twitter, or by texting them. Do this only if there's still no official announcement on your school's official Pages and the rain is nonstop. Once you get official word "kung may pasok ba o wala", dutifully disseminate the information to your friends and schoolmates thru social media or text. You can register to promo like unli allnet texts to conveniently send message to all of your classmates whatever network they have. Check out unlimited text to all networks promos from Globe, TM, Smart, TNT and Sun.

6. Watch news on TV or listen announcements on radio. This very helpful for students who don't have internet access. TV and radio stations always release news about the weather condition as well as class suspensions. The three major free-to-air TV networks in the Philippines are GMA Network, ABS-CBN Corporation and TV5 Network.

Helpful tips right? If you have other suggestions on how to get information for class suspensions during strong typhoons or heavy habagat rains among other weather disturbances and natural calamities in the Philippines, you can leave your comment below. Take care and keep safe everyone!