DepEd Learning Continuity in Emergencies: DO 014, s. 2026

DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026, the Guidelines on Learning Continuity in Emergencies, dated June 4, 2026, sets how a public school keeps learning going before, during and after an emergency. Every school prepares a Learning and Service Continuity Plan (LSCP) each year before classes open and updates it every term. When classes are suspended, the school head uses professional judgment to place the school at one of four levels: Hayo (Continue), Hinay (Ease in), Hinga (Check-in) or Hinto (Stop). The level decides what learning happens, which materials learners get, how the day counts against the school calendar, and what the school reports within 12 hours. The order works with DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2024, which DepEd has not withdrawn and which, until the guidelines under Executive Order No. 130, s. 2026 are issued, remains the safer guide to when classes are suspended.

The order also changes older rules. Schools now report “learning experiences” instead of alternative delivery modes (ADMs), the LSCP moves from a three-year cycle to a yearly one, and make-up classes follow a 90% test. As of November 14, 2026, no DepEd issuance has amended DO 014.

For the heat index at each level, see Hayo, Hinay, Hinga, Hinto: DepEd’s 4H Levels and Heat Index; for the 2026-2027 El Niño, the Super El Niño guide for school heads; for who may suspend classes, School DRRM and Class Suspensions; and for DepEd’s public list of suspended schools, Walang Pasok Data.

Key findings

• Well-being comes first. “Learning continuity is anchored on the belief that well-being is critical to an individual’s capacity to teach and learn” (DO 014, s. 2026, para. 7), and the framework “shall not be used to automatically suspend classes, reduce academic expectations, or substitute lighter learning resources when learners are demonstrably safe and cognitively ready to engage in the regular curriculum” (para. 13).
• The school head sets the level. The policy applies once the school head, the local chief executive (LCE) or another agency declares a suspension, and “School heads shall exercise sound professional judgment in determining level of learning continuity during class suspensions”; actions taken in good faith carry no personal liability (para. 12).
• The LSCP is yearly, with term updates. It is developed “annually before the beginning of each school year” and “updated every term” (para. 25), with learning experiences chosen for each level and key stage from capability mapping done during early registration (para. 28), and parents are oriented on it during the Opening Block (para. 39).
• Report within 12 hours. The school head reports the school’s level through the EiE: Learning Continuity dashboard “within the first 12 hours of any disruption” (para. 44), adds the learning experiences and materials used at Hinay, Hinga or Hinto (para. 46), and reports every change of level, including the return to Hayo (para. 92).
• Send a week of materials home. A school that moves to Hinay, Hinga or Hinto during class hours without having distributed materials gives “a week’s worth of printed materials and emergency learning kits … before learners are sent home” (para. 47).
• Make-up classes follow a 90% test. A Hinay or Hinga day counts as half a class day missed and a Hinto day as a full day; make-up classes are required when actual class days fall below 90% of the mandatory contact days, scheduled at the school head’s discretion (para. 68 and Sec. V.K). Taking the 201 class days of SY 2026-2027 as those days, the line is 180.9 (DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026, para. 4).
• Long disruptions move to a Flexible Learning Program. Past 4 consecutive class days at Hinga or 5 at Hinto, schools are advised to shift to a Flexible Learning Program (FLP) “as an alternative normal” (Sec. V.J; para. 64). The way back to Hayo is gradual, with remediation, recovery of foundational skills and mental health support (paras. 59 to 62).

What DO 014, s. 2026 does

The order “shall provide guidelines for teaching and learning before, during, and after emergencies at the school level”, supports school heads, Division Alternative Learning System (ALS) Focals and the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) in decisions on safety and well-being, and sets “a standard for learning resources to be developed and created for each level of emergency” (para. 3).

What it repeals, modifies and complements

DO 022 keeps everything DO 014 does not contradict: the hazard-by-hazard suspension rules, the school head’s power to suspend classes for the school with coordination with the LCE and the SDS, the notice to the SDS, the rule that personnel need not report on site during a suspension unless their duties require it, and the SDS’s approval of the LSCP. Executive Order No. 130, s. 2026, signed on October 28, 2026, now sets a national framework of automatic, localized and granular suspensions and says “The suspension of in-person classes shall not automatically suspend learning” (Sec. 3). Its thresholds await a Joint Memorandum Circular that DepEd said on November 12, 2026 was still being finalized. School DRRM and Class Suspensions explains which suspension rules apply meanwhile.

Key terms

The four learning continuity levels

The framework “shall institutionalize a levels-based decision-making system” that guides schools and CLCs on learning priorities, responses and supports (para. 9). It rests on one principle: “The framework is anchored on the principle that teacher and learner well-being is foundational to education.” Every decision aims to “maintain or restore a sense of safety, stability, and connection, while preventing harm and minimizing learning loss”, and to return to Hayo (para. 10).

Source: DO 014, s. 2026, Sec. V.A, table after para. 17.

Sources: DO 014, s. 2026, Secs. V.J and V.K, paras. 70 and 71; DO 015, s. 2026, Annex A, paras. 14 to 16.

Three more points apply to every level. The levels are not a reason to suspend classes or to lighten work for learners who are safe and ready (para. 13). They may serve one class or one learner, after “fire damages to classrooms, illness or death in the family, displacement, or other psychosocial circumstances” (para. 15). And they may change: the order expects updates “grounded on evidence taken from the monitoring and evaluation of this Order” (para. 17).

Who decides the level, and how

The trigger is a declared suspension. “The policy shall be enacted once the school head, Local Chief Executive (LCE), or other relevant government agencies declare suspension” (para. 12). Who may declare one, and when a suspension is automatic, is set by DO 022, s. 2024 and EO 130, s. 2026 (School DRRM and Class Suspensions).

The level is the school head’s call. “School heads shall exercise sound professional judgment in determining level of learning continuity during class suspensions” (para. 12). For community-based CLCs, the Division ALS Focals or the SDS decide (paras. 11 and 94). In a state of national emergency, schools set their level “after consultation with their school stakeholders and their Schools Division Office (SDO) officials” (para. 16). The judgment draws on community views: “Professional judgment shall therefore integrate objective safety considerations and culturally grounded understandings of risk and recovery”, including those of Indigenous Cultural Communities (para. 14).

Parents keep their own say. Parents or guardians “retain the ultimate responsibility for determining whether their children should attend classes” during disasters and calamities, even without a suspension order, and must also see that their child catches up (para. 12).

Good faith protects. “Actions taken in good faith and in compliance with this policy shall not subject school heads or teachers to personal liability” (para. 12).

Annex E.1 gives a four-question guide for quick decisions. A “No” at any step settles the level; four “Yes” answers lead to Hinay:

Annex A.1 then matches common hazard warnings to levels (see How each hazard fits the framework below). Moving between levels follows five rules (Sec. V.I):

• Evidence. “Movement from one level to another shall be based on clear evidence of the school’s community conditions reported by the school heads” (para. 55).
• Up when learning cannot continue. Escalation comes “when the disruptions compromise the ability to sustain regular learning” (para. 56).
• Down only when people are ready. “De-escalation to lower levels shall only occur when learners, teaching, and non-teaching personnel are demonstrably fit to resume, appropriate resources are available, and psychosocial readiness has been established” (para. 56).
• Forecasts guide both. Decisions of school heads “shall also be guided by the advisories of existing government agencies (e.g., PAGASA for typhoon advisories) specialized in disaster forecasting” (para. 56).
• Several hazards, the higher level. School heads “shall consider applying modalities and interventions for the higher level of learning continuity” when hazards strike together (para. 57).

The Learning and Service Continuity Plan

The LSCP is where the levels become a school’s own plan. It “ensures safety and outlines the interventions for uninterrupted education, requiring all schools to establish safety measures and procedures for all stakeholders” (para. 25).

When the plan is made and updated

Who prepares it and who approves it

The school head leads. The LSCP “shall be developed in collaboration with teaching and non-teaching personnel, learners, and their parents/guardians”, and community representatives who know local hazards, such as “IP community elders with local knowledge about the pattern of disasters in the area and safe areas for evacuation”, are “crucial” (para. 26). The school makes sure every member of the staff, every learner and every parent knows the plan (para. 27).

DO 014 does not say who approves the LSCP, so DO 022, s. 2024 still applies: “Draft LSCPs must be submitted to the School Governance and Operations Division (SGOD) and Curriculum Implementation Division (CID) chiefs for review, and then endorsed to the SDS for final approval” (Sec. V), and the SDS “shall review and approve school LSCPs” (Sec. IV). The plan’s funding needs go into the School Improvement Plan (SIP) and the Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) (DO 022, s. 2024, Sec. III.7.g; DO 014, s. 2026, paras. 32 and 33); the school improvement plan guide covers that cycle.

Plans exist at three levels. School-based CLCs are in the school’s LSCP and AIP; community-based ALS programs are in the Schools Division LSCP and AIP; and the regional and division LSCPs “shall indicate strategies for teacher MHPSS and temporary relief during recovery periods” (para. 32).

What the plan contains

Annex D.1 is the template for schools. Its first part is an inventory of the school’s capacity: printing capacity per week; stocks of print modules, learning packets, downloadable digital resources and emergency learning kits; access to a learning management system (LMS) and to radio or TV; and the channels for reaching teachers and parents. Its second part records five things for Hinay and Hinga, separately for Key Stages 1 to 4 and the school’s CLC:

1. the learning experiences the school will use;
2. the learning resources it is ready to provide all learners;
3. the teacher supports that will help meet the learning priorities;
4. how learner and teacher safety will be monitored and reported; and
5. the external partners (LGU, SDO, NGOs) it will engage for support.

For Hinto, the template shades out the first three and keeps only safety monitoring and partners, since academic learning stops. Annex D.2 is the division’s version for community-based CLCs, with learner access and teacher readiness by district.

The body of the order adds:

• Learning experiences per level and key stage, chosen from the capability mapping data (paras. 28 and 29).
• A stock of the identified resources and emergency learning kits, including DepEd’s Edukahon, “proportional to the number of learners enrolled”, which may be given out at the start of the year or at set times (para. 30).
• Safekeeping of devices, whether bought by DepEd or donated, with inventory, secure storage, accountability, and distribution and access notes (para. 31).
• The emergency call tree (para. 33) and a way to report when power or the cellular network fails, such as SMS or two-way radio (para. 44).
• A communication allowance, which “may be indicated in the AIP” (para. 33).

DepEd’s Learning Systems Strand put the same steps on its three-term calendar checklist for school heads: update the LSCP and “Define actions for HINTO, HINGA, HINAY, HAYO scenarios” before the school year, remind teachers of the levels during the Opening Block, and document disruptions in each Instructional Block. Its orientation worksheet for teachers asks them to “safety-check every learner within 12 hours of a disruption”; the order sets no time for the call tree, and its 12 hours apply to the school head’s report of the level (paras. 44 and 50).

Orienting parents and building their capacity

Schools “shall orient or schedule a training session with the parents and guardians to inform them of the LSCP”, stressing the modalities and materials for each level, during the Opening Block under DO 009, s. 2026; follow-up sessions may run all year (para. 39). Schools and SDOs “shall strive to capacitate parents and guardians with teaching skills and MHPSS methods when remote learning is activated” (para. 40), with external partners (para. 41), and SDOs support the awareness campaign with LGUs and partners (para. 42).

Paragraph 40 points to DepEd Memorandum No. 002, s. 2026, the Kaagapay Program, for the role of parents in learning continuity. That memorandum was “effective from publication on the DepEd website until the end of the school year 2025–2026” (para. 4), and as of November 14, 2026, no memorandum has extended it. The duty to orient parents comes from DO 014 itself and does not depend on it.

Learning experiences and resources at each level

DO 014 names seven learning experiences (para. 6.i). Annex C sets how each is designed and where it is used, and Annex E.2 marks each one as the best, usable or not usable at each level:

Sources: DO 014, s. 2026, para. 6.i; Annexes C and E.2.

Annex C narrows the last two at Hinto: check-in guides are “Used only for essential monitoring during Hinto”, and Family Kits “Used only for essential guidance during Hinto”. It also asks for accessibility, such as captions and sign language in broadcasts and alternative text and screen-reader support in digital modules.

Rules for materials

• A week’s worth before learners go home. “If the school or CLC shifts to Hinay, Hinga, or Hinto during in-person classes without prior distribution of learning resources, a week’s worth of printed materials and emergency learning kits shall be provided before learners are sent home”, so that learning continues if Hinay is prolonged or escalated, “especially during the rainy season” (para. 47). DO 022’s rule still governs the order of steps when a hazard strikes during class hours: send everyone home “if it is safe to do so”, and keep learners in school “if traveling has become unsafe” (Sec. III.5.a). Pre-positioned packs make both possible.
• Storage and security. Distribution plans consider each school’s storage and security capacity (para. 48).
• Edukahon. Schools and CLCs distribute emergency learning kits, including the Edukahon packages of DepEd Memorandum No. 086, s. 2025 (para. 23). That memorandum sets packages for schools, teachers and learners, each in Basic and Plus versions, and risk-specific kits for floods and for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions; regional and division offices preposition and deploy them (paras. 3 to 5).
• Sources. Resources may come from the learning resource management system or from regional and division counterparts, “using standards set by this policy” (para. 29). Resources for Hinga and Hinto are developed with the Bureau of Learner Support Services and the Bureau of Curriculum Development, so that MHPSS and the Homeroom Guidance Program are built in (para. 20), and ALS materials for those levels pass a quality assurance review (para. 21).
• Learners with disabilities. Learning experiences are chosen to fit their Individualized Education Plans, home environments and supports at home (para. 19).
• Lesson plans. Under DepEd Order No. 016, s. 2026, “Alternative learning resources for home-based learning shall likewise be prepared should face-to-face instruction be interrupted, specifically for Hinay level situations” (Sec. V.A, para. 7.b.i). The ILAW lesson plan guide explains where they go in the plan. The Learning Design Principles in DO 014’s Annex B are the same eight principles DO 016 uses.

What teachers and learners do

At Hinay, teachers use the learning experiences named in the LSCP, cut the number of subjects a day and shorten activities; learners continue lessons at home and parents use Family Kits. At Hinga, teachers check in on learners with check-in guides, which “carry no academic demand” (para. 6.i), and invite them to broadcast lessons and learning packets that review earlier lessons; those check-ins “shall be considered as part of teaching load” (para. 69). At Hinto, teachers engage learners only in check-ins or other MHPSS as needed (Sec. V.A).

The order ties each level to teaching standards in the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST):

School heads make sure every teacher knows the learning experiences for each level in the LSCP (para. 34).

Attendance

“In accordance with DO No. 022, s. 2024, learners who miss learning activities due to disruptions shall be given due consideration in attendance, assessment, and completion of learning tasks, consistent with the level and learning circumstances identified” (para. 67). DO 015, s. 2026 gives a failing grade and no credit to learners whose absences exceed 20% of the class days, “unless justified”, and lets the school head grant case-by-case exemptions with documentation, while the learner still completes the required tasks and assessments (Annex D, para. 22). Absences caused by a declared emergency are the circumstances paragraph 67 asks schools to consider; keep the call tree records and the incident report that document them.

Reporting during and after an emergency

The dashboard is “integrated within the Emergency Operations Center’s (EOC) incident management reporting system” and is the primary source of data on disruptions, response strategies, and affected learners and personnel (para. 43); it accepts learner-level or classroom-level data (para. 45). Guidelines on its use “shall be released through a separate issuance” (para. 49); as of November 14, 2026, none has been issued. One rule limits paperwork: “Offices shall not require parallel templates or additional submissions covering the same reporting requirement outside the official mechanism identified in this issuance” (para. 52). For human-induced incidents, communication follows the crisis management committee’s protocols (para. 54).

DepEd’s public “Walang Pasok” list on its LIGTAS+ platform shows the suspensions schools have reported; Walang Pasok Data explains what it does and does not show, and whether DO 022’s quarterly suspension report survives the new mechanism. The other DRRM reports, such as the Rapid Assessment of Damages Report within 72 hours, are listed in School DRRM and Class Suspensions.

The incident management report

After every emergency, the school DRRM coordinator or the alternate writes a quick report on what happened, the actions taken for learning continuity, the challenges, the practices to keep and those to revise or drop (para. 73). School personnel then rate the actions, judging “the appropriateness of decisions and actions given the context, rather than on outcomes alone” (para. 74):

The report ends with the information gaps that affected decisions and the changes to make next time (para. 75). Annex E.3 asks teachers to rate individually, then agree on a rating and explain it, and states: “Information documented in this report shall not be used for punitive or disciplinary purposes.” The SDO synthesizes the schools’ reports for the regional and central offices (para. 77), and both kinds of report feed the next year’s LSCP (para. 78).

Make-up classes and how class days are counted

“Makeup classes shall be required if the number of actual class days, considering class suspensions and holidays, falls below 90% of the mandatory contact days outlined in the school calendar” (para. 68). Each level has its own day value: no day missed at Hayo, half a day at Hinay and at Hinga, and a full day at Hinto (Sec. V.K). “Scheduling of makeup classes shall be left to the discretion of the school heads” (para. 68).

DO 014 does not define “mandatory contact days”. DO 009, s. 2026 sets 201 class days for SY 2026-2027, from June 8, 2026 to April 8, 2027: 69 in Term 1, 65 in Term 2 and 67 in Term 3 (para. 4 and Annex B). Taking those 201 days as the base, 90% is 180.9 days, so a school must hold make-up classes once more than 20.1 class days are lost; counted in half days, that is 20.5 days or more. Holidays already left out of DO 009’s calendar are not class days to begin with. A holiday proclaimed later, or a local holiday that falls on a class day, reduces the actual count.

A worked example. By February 2027, a school has had 4 days at Hinay, 6 at Hinga and 9 at Hinto, and a special non-working day proclaimed after the calendar was issued.

Actual class days stand at 201 − 15 = 186, above 180.9, so no make-up classes are required yet. If a typhoon then keeps the school at Hinto for 7 more class days, 22 days are lost and the count falls to 179, below the line. The order does not say how many make-up days are then owed; holding at least two, which brings the count back to 181, meets the 90% test.

How to schedule them:

• When and how. When online or modular learning is not feasible, school heads, consulting teachers and parents, may hold make-up classes for all levels except Kindergarten “during extended hours or on Saturdays” (DO 022, s. 2024, Sec. III.8). For local celebrations and holidays inside the Instructional Block, DO 009 provides asynchronous activities or, when necessary, make-up classes in the End-of-Term Block (para. 20.ii).
• The five-day limit on alternative modalities. DO 009 allows alternative learning delivery modalities “only during local holidays and other class disruptions for a maximum of five (5) days per term” (para. 32). No issuance says whether Hinay or Hinga days count toward that limit; the three-term calendar guide covers the question.
• Pay. Hinga check-ins count as teaching load, and teachers who hold make-up classes “shall also receive appropriate compensation” under DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024 and DepEd Order No. 026, s. 2025 (para. 69). The guide to service credits and overtime pay and the teaching overload pay guide explain the options.

Exams and work immersion

“Periodical exams shall only be delivered during in-person classes or Hayo level days.” An exam a suspension affects is rescheduled, and “Before giving the periodical exam, teachers shall give their learners enough time to adjust to in-person classes” (para. 70). DO 015, s. 2026, issued the same day, calls the end-of-term exam the Term Examination, given in the last week of the Instructional Block with two summative tests before it (DO 009, s. 2026, para. 27). Read together: summative tests may still be given at Hinay, in limited number and scope; they wait at Hinga; nothing is assessed at Hinto; and the Term Examination is given only on Hayo days, after learners have had time to settle. The DepEd grading system guide covers the rest of DO 015.

Senior high school learners in work immersion are covered by the levels, and “Work immersion days under the Hinay, Hinga, and Hinto days shall not be permitted”; the measures go into the memorandum of agreement with partner institutions, in line with DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, the Child Protection Policy (para. 71). For the Strengthened Senior High School, DepEd Order No. 023, s. 2026 adds that learners follow the suspensions announced by the LGU of the school “as well as the LGU where the learner’s workplace is situated”, and render no hours during DepEd and local suspensions (para. 24.b). The work immersion guide covers DO 023. ALS classes follow junior high school: “In-person ALS classes shall be suspended if formal junior high school classes in the division are suspended” (para. 48).

Prolonged disruption and the shift to a Flexible Learning Program

The table in Section V.J sets the most consecutive class days a school stays at each level and what follows:

Source: DO 014, s. 2026, Sec. V.J, table after para. 66.

“If emergencies are prolonged due to hazards or impacts at the Hinga or Hinto level, schools are advised to shift their operations to a flexible learning program to establish a new or alternative normal” (para. 64). When a school stays in “a continuous state of emergency”, the SDO and the regional office intervene, and SDOs may work with LGUs (para. 63).

FLPs are DepEd’s programs for learners at risk of dropping out (para. 6.d). DepEd’s policy briefer on the Omnibus Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of the Flexible Learning Program, dated April 13, 2026, lists the Open High School System, Night High School, Rural Farm School, Homeschooling, School-Initiated Intervention and Rotational Learning, delivered in person, by modules, online or blended. As of November 14, 2026, DepEd has not issued those guidelines as an order or memorandum. DepEd Memorandum No. 050, s. 2026, which funds FLPs for FY 2026, names five: homeschooling, night high school, open high school, rural farm schools and school-initiated interventions (para. 2; Encl. No. 1, para. 4.a). Three other issued rules already apply: DO 009’s five-day limit on alternative modalities does not cover FLP modalities (para. 32); FLP learners are assessed to the same standards as everyone else (DO 015, s. 2026, Annex A, paras. 17 to 20); and learners with prolonged or recurring absences “may be endorsed to the FLP” (DO 015, s. 2026, Annex D, para. 22.b). The Flexible Learning Program guide covers the programs.

The return to Hayo

“Hayo is the ideal situation for teaching and learning, and the well-being of learners shall be the basis for determining if learners and teachers are ready to de-escalate from the higher emergency levels” (para. 58). The school head, with the SDO’s help, “shall prioritize a safe and gradual transition back to the Hayo level”, including making sure teachers are fit to return to their posts (para. 59).

1. Buildings first. After an emergency that risks damage to facilities, in-person classes resume “only after these are declared safe by authorized inspectors in accordance with DO No. 022, s. 2024” (para. 65). At the division, the Division ALS Focal or the DRRM focal person conducts a post-emergency Facility Safety Validation before classes resume; its tool is being developed for CLCs (para. 91).
2. Teachers next. Regional and division LSCPs set aside support for teachers’ mental health, and where some teachers cannot return at once, the SDO and the regional office use “a context-responsive relief work strategy” to keep a balanced teacher-learner ratio (para. 60).
3. Well-being in the routine. MHPSS is built into classroom routines, and under DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, school heads and teachers use counseling and referral services to find learners who show “signs of distress or ongoing adjustment difficulties”, even after the return to Hayo, and refer them to qualified mental health professionals (para. 61).
4. Remediation and foundational skills. Schools “shall implement structured remediation and foundational skill recovery measures upon return to the Hayo level, especially after prolonged disruptions. The return to regular pacing shall be gradual, ensuring that academic acceleration does not compromise foundational understanding or learner well-being” (para. 62). DO 014 names no program for this; the ARAL Program, whose sessions run in the Instructional Block and the End-of-Term Block (DO 009, s. 2026, para. 33), is one the school already has. See the ARAL Program guide.
5. Exams last. Learners get time to adjust before the Term Examination (para. 70).

A school is not punished for what it lacks. “Resource limitations or capacity constraints that affect a school or CLC’s ability to transition to or sustain the Hayo level shall not be used as grounds for sanctions, penalties, or adverse administrative action, provided that good faith efforts toward learning continuity are demonstrated” (para. 66).

Mental health, teacher well-being and child protection

Teachers are trained. All teachers, ALS teachers included, “shall be equipped with trauma-informed teaching approaches, materials, tools, and competencies in psychological first aid” (para. 35). Schools hold “at least one session during the annual In-Service Training for Teachers (INSET) related to learning continuity” (para. 35); under DO 009, INSET runs for two days in the End-of-Term Blocks (para. 21). Teachers may also take National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) or NEAP-accredited training (para. 35). PFA itself “shall be administered only by trained personnel” (para. 6.n), and DO 022 has SDOs, with regional support, lead PFA after disasters through trained providers and referral pathways (Sec. III.11).

Counselors are equipped. “School counselors, school counselor associates, and guidance advocates shall be trained and equipped with competencies in MHPSS”, in training aligned with DepEd policies and child protection principles (para. 37). School counselors and school counselor associates are positions created by Republic Act No. 12080, which also requires a Care Center in every public school; the guide to RA 12080 and school mental health covers the law and the hiring.

Teachers are cared for. SDOs and regional offices offer mental health support and emergency assistance, such as relief work, “especially for those serving in high-risk or under-resourced environments” (paras. 36, 87 and 90). During a suspension, teaching and non-teaching personnel “shall not be required to report on-site, except those who are mandated to render security, safety, finance, engineering, sanitation, health, and disaster response duties” (DO 022, s. 2024, Sec. III.9).

Learners are protected. Decisions consider Indigenous Peoples’ communities (para. 14), learners with disabilities (para. 19), and the learners the rationale names as especially at risk: “indigenous peoples, marginalized groups, including young women, refugees, learners from geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, and learners with disabilities” (para. 2). Work immersion agreements follow the Child Protection Policy (para. 71). DO 006, s. 2026 lists hotlines for urgent cases, including 911 and the National Center for Mental Health crisis line, 1553 (Sec. VIII). The child protection guide for school heads covers the procedures.

Learners are fed. The School Health Division of the Bureau of Learner Support Services is to issue guidelines for the School-Based Feeding Program “or alternative nutrition support mechanisms” during Hinga and Hinto, “subject to safety conditions, operational feasibility, and resource availability” (para. 85); as of November 14, 2026, none has been issued. For the 2026-2027 El Niño, DM 064, s. 2026 has schools and SDOs plan for feeding to continue (Sec. 6.6). The school-based feeding program guide covers the program.

Who does what

Funding

“Funds for activities related to Learning Continuity in Emergencies, including the preparation of materials, shall be primarily charged against FLO Funds”, with other sources allowed under budgeting and procurement rules (para. 101). DepEd Memorandum No. 050, s. 2026, dated August 25, 2026, sets how part of that fund source is used in FY 2026. It calls its program support fund “a mechanism to operationalize existing DepEd policies on Flexible Learning Programs and Learning Continuity in Emergencies”, naming DO 014, s. 2026 and DO 021, s. 2019 (Encl. No. 1, para. 1), and releases ₱387,020,000 from the FY 2026 Flexible Learning Options-Alternative Delivery Mode funds to regional offices, which may pass it to SDOs, “to support the implementation of Flexible Learning Programs (FLP, formerly ADM) and ensure the continuity and inclusivity of learning during class suspensions and other conditions that prevent learners from regularly attending in-person classes” (para. 1). Its allowable expenses at regional and division level include orientation and capacity building “aligned with standards under DO 014, s. 2026”; at school level, they cover schools offering FLPs (Encl. No. 1, paras. 9 to 11).

Within the school, the LSCP’s needs go into the SIP and the AIP, including a communication allowance (DO 014, s. 2026, para. 33). The school MOOE guide covers what operating funds may pay for. Edukahon’s initial rollout is paid from “available funds under the Basic Education Curriculum”, downloaded to regional and division offices (DM 086, s. 2025, para. 6.c).

How each hazard fits the framework

Annex A.1 matches hazard warnings to levels, and Annex A.2 repeats which of them suspend classes automatically under DO 022, s. 2024:

Source: DO 014, s. 2026, Annexes A.1 and A.2.

• Heat. For the 2026-2027 El Niño, DepEd Memorandum No. 064, s. 2026 sets Hinto at 42°C and above and has schools read classroom heat indexes three times a day. Hayo, Hinay, Hinga, Hinto: DepEd’s 4H Levels and Heat Index covers the readings, and the El Niño guide covers water, feeding and attire.
• Typhoons and floods. These cause most suspensions. The school DRRM team, the warnings and the duty to keep learners safe at school when travel is unsafe are in School DRRM and Class Suspensions.
• Earthquakes. After Intensity VI or higher, the school head asks the DPWH, local building officials or division engineers to assess the buildings before anyone returns (DO 022, s. 2024, Sec. III.5.c).
• Armed conflict and other human-induced incidents. Armed conflict is a Hinto condition; Annex A.1 gives clan feuds and foreign invasion as examples. Communication follows the crisis management committee (para. 54). DepEd Order No. 032, s. 2019, the National Policy Framework on Learners and Schools as Zones of Peace, which DO 014 lists among its references, sets DepEd’s strategy for “the continuity of education in situations of armed conflict” (cover order, item 2).
• Health emergencies. A potential outbreak is a Hinay condition, an actual outbreak Hinga, and a pandemic Hinto. Schools “shall not be used as quarantine and/or isolation facilities or vaccination centers”, though mobile vaccination of up to two days that does not disrupt classes may be allowed (DO 022, s. 2024, Sec. III.10).
• Power outages. They never suspend classes automatically; the school head may suspend when an outage lasts more than half a school day (DO 022, s. 2024, Sec. III.5.h.iv).
• Small-scale disruptions. A classroom fire, a death in a learner’s family or a displaced household can put one class or one learner at a higher level while the rest of the school stays at Hayo (para. 15).

On November 12, 2026, DepEd began a nationwide orientation of LGUs, school heads and partner agencies on EO 130 and DO 014, and “asked that LGUs do not specify the exact alternative learning mode to be used by schools covered by in-person class suspensions”, leaving the choice to school leaders (DepEd press release). The LSCP is where that choice is made in advance.

What this means for school heads

Before the school year

1. Run the capability mapping with early registration, and build the LSCP from it with teachers, non-teaching staff, learners, parents and community representatives who know local hazards (paras. 26 and 28).
2. Fill in Annex D.1: the capacity inventory, and for Hinay and Hinga the learning experiences, resources, teacher supports, safety monitoring and partners for each key stage; for Hinto, safety monitoring and partners.
3. Stock the identified materials and kits in proportion to enrollment, set up device safekeeping, and write the call tree and a reporting route for when networks fail (paras. 30, 31, 33 and 44).
4. Send the draft through the SGOD and CID chiefs to the SDS for approval (DO 022, s. 2024, Sec. V), and put its costs in the SIP and AIP.
5. Orient parents on the levels and the materials during the Opening Block (para. 39), and teachers on the learning experiences for each level (para. 34). Schedule the INSET session on learning continuity (para. 35).

Each term

6. Update the LSCP (para. 25), using the term’s incident reports, and submit those reports to the SDO at the end of the term (para. 76).

When a suspension is declared

7. Run the call tree: teachers report their safety, homeroom teachers check on every learner, and assign a co-teacher where needed (para. 50).
8. Set the level with the Annex E.1 questions, PAGASA’s and other agencies’ advisories, and the community’s knowledge (paras. 12, 14 and 56). When hazards combine, consider the higher level (para. 57).
9. Report the level within 12 hours, the learning experiences and materials used, and every change (paras. 44, 46, 51 and 92). Use only the official channel (para. 52).
10. If classes stop during the day before materials went out, send a week’s worth home with learners, when the trip home is safe (para. 47).
11. Watch the clock: 3 consecutive class days at Hinay, 4 at Hinga, 5 at Hinto; then narrow goals or move to an FLP (Sec. V.J).

After

12. Reopen only when inspectors declare damaged buildings safe and teachers are fit to return (paras. 59 and 65).
13. Return to Hayo gradually, with check-ins, referral, remediation and foundational skills, and give the Term Examination only after learners have adjusted (paras. 61, 62 and 70).
14. Count class days in half and full days, and schedule make-up classes when the count falls below 90% (para. 68).
15. Have the incident management report written and rated, and use it to revise the plan (paras. 73 to 78).

A school head may not

• use the levels to suspend classes, lower expectations or lighten materials for learners who are safe and ready (para. 13);
• give the Term Examination on a Hinay, Hinga or Hinto day, or any assessment at Hinto (para. 70; DO 015, s. 2026, Annex A, para. 16);
• allow work immersion on Hinay, Hinga or Hinto days (para. 71); or
• require parallel templates for reports the official mechanism already covers, which binds offices above the school too (para. 52).

These duties serve PPSSH strand 2.5, school safety for disaster preparedness, mitigation and resiliency, whose Career Stage 2 indicator asks a school head to “Manage school safety for disaster preparedness, mitigation and resiliency to ensure continuous delivery of instruction” (indicator 2.5.2); see PPSSH Domain 2: Managing School Operations. Building the LSCP with the planning team is strand 1.2 (Domain 1), the return to a healthy learning environment is strand 3.6 (Domain 3), teacher welfare is strand 4.7 (Domain 4), and orienting parents and working with LGUs are strands 5.4 and 5.5 (Domain 5).

How the NASH may test this

The items below are original practice items, scored 3 (Relational), 2 (Multistructural), 1 (Unistructural) or 0 (Prestructural). An option that breaks a rule scores 0.

Question 1

Indicator 1.2.2, School planning and implementation. Career Stage 2, Situational, Moderate.

You are the school head of a multigrade elementary school in an upland barangay. Early registration has just ended, and its capability mapping shows that most families have no internet connection and many have no device, but nearly all can receive radio broadcasts. A teacher proposes to copy last year’s continuity plan, which names online classes for every grade, and submit it to the division before the Opening Block. What is the most appropriate action?

• A. Revise the plan yourself from the mapping data, naming print modules for Hinay and radio lessons with learning packets for Hinga, and send it to the division before orienting parents.
• B. Submit the copied plan as the teacher proposes, since a continuity plan that the division approved last year stays valid until the division itself asks for a revision.
• C. Revise the plan with teachers, parents and community representatives, using the mapping data to name print modules for Hinay and radio lessons with learning packets for Hinga.
• D. Keep online classes in the plan and ask the division and the parents’ association for tablets and data loads, so that every learner can join the classes in last year’s plan.

Answer and explanation: Question 1

Best answer: C. Points: A = 2, B = 0, C = 3, D = 1.

• A (2 points, Multistructural). It uses the mapping data to choose learning experiences that fit each level, but the school head writes the plan alone, when the order requires it to be developed with personnel, learners and parents.
• B (0 points, Prestructural). The plan is now developed every year before the school year, and its learning experiences must come from the capability mapping. A copied plan built on online classes ignores both, and leaves learners without devices with nothing.
• C (3 points, Relational). It builds the plan with teachers, parents and community representatives, as the order requires, uses the mapping data, and chooses print modules for Hinay and broadcast lessons and learning packets for Hinga, the experiences the order marks best for those levels and that these families can use.
• D (1 point, Unistructural). It sees the access gap, but it keeps an experience most learners cannot use and pins the plan on equipment the school does not control, instead of choosing experiences that fit the data.

Why. This aligns with Career Stage 2 expectations because the school head must develop and implement a school plan with the planning team, in line with policy. DO 014, s. 2026 requires the LSCP to be “developed annually before the beginning of each school year” (para. 25), “in collaboration with teaching and non-teaching personnel, learners, and their parents/guardians” (para. 26), and its learning experiences to come from capability mapping done during early registration (para. 28); Annex E.2 marks print modules best at Hinay and broadcast materials and learning packets best at Hinga. The 2-point option has the right content but skips the collaboration the order requires.

Indicator 1.2.2: Develop and implement with the planning team school plans aligned with institutional goals and policies.

Sources: DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026, paras. 25, 26, 28 and Annex E.2; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.

Question 2

Indicator 3.6.2, Learning environment. Career Stage 2, Situational, Difficult.

You are the school head of a junior high school that reopens on Monday after a strong earthquake kept it at Hinto for four class days. Engineers have declared the buildings safe, and you have reported the school back at Hayo. Several learners lost their homes, and advisers report that some cry in class or barely speak. The term examination fell in the week of the closure, and the department heads want to give it on Monday to stay on pace. What is the most appropriate action?

• A. Reschedule the term examination after a period of adjustment, start the week with check-ins and remediation, and refer learners with lasting distress for counseling.
• B. Move the term examination to a later week, and use the first days back to reteach all the lessons missed during the closure before moving on to the new lessons of the term.
• C. Request the division to send a guidance counselor to the school, and leave the examination schedule and the pacing of lessons to each department head to decide.
• D. Give the term examination on Monday as the department heads propose, since the buildings are safe and the school has returned to regular in-person classes.

Answer and explanation: Question 2

Best answer: A. Points: A = 3, B = 2, C = 1, D = 0.

• A (3 points, Relational). It gives learners time to adjust before the exam, makes well-being checks part of the return, recovers missed learning, and refers learners whose distress continues, which is the gradual return the order describes.
• B (2 points, Multistructural). It moves the exam and recovers missed lessons, but it treats the return as an academic catch-up and does nothing for learners who show signs of distress.
• C (1 point, Unistructural). It seeks mental health support, but it leaves the exam and pacing to department heads who want to test on the first day back, so the core problem stands.
• D (0 points, Prestructural). Teachers must give learners enough time to adjust to in-person classes before the exam, and the return to regular pacing must be gradual. Testing on the first day back breaks both.

Why. This aligns with Career Stage 2 expectations because the school head must manage a healthy learning environment for learners returning from a disaster. DO 014, s. 2026 requires a “safe and gradual transition back to the Hayo level” (para. 59), MHPSS in classroom routines with counseling and referral for learners showing distress (para. 61), structured remediation with a gradual return to regular pacing (para. 62), and enough time to adjust before the periodical exam (para. 70). The 2-point option recovers lessons but leaves out the well-being checks and referral.

Indicator 3.6.2: Manage a learner-friendly, inclusive and healthy learning environment.

Sources: DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026, paras. 59, 61, 62 and 70; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.

Question 3

Indicator 2.5.1, School safety for disaster preparedness, mitigation and resiliency. Career Stage 1, Conceptual, Moderate.

A school has been at Hinga for three class days after a flood, and the rainfall warning has now been lifted. Which statement best explains what the school head must establish before moving the school down to a lower level?

• A. That the rainfall warning is lifted and inspectors declare the buildings safe, because the physical safety of the campus is what the move down depends on.
• B. That learners and staff are well enough to resume, materials are in place and people are emotionally ready, because well-being decides the move down.
• C. That the school has used up the most days allowed at its level, because the limit on consecutive class days requires the school to move down a level.
• D. That most parents report their children are ready to return, because parents decide whether their children attend classes during disasters.

Answer and explanation: Question 3

Best answer: B. Points: A = 2, B = 3, C = 0, D = 1.

• A (2 points, Multistructural). Safe buildings are required before in-person classes resume after damage, but a lifted warning and a safe campus do not show that people are ready to learn again.
• B (3 points, Relational). It states the three conditions the order sets for moving down and the reason behind them: well-being, not the hazard alone, decides readiness.
• C (0 points, Prestructural). It misreads the limit. Past 4 consecutive class days at Hinga, the order advises a shift to a Flexible Learning Program; the limit never moves a school down.
• D (1 point, Unistructural). Parents do decide whether their own children attend, but their reports are one input; the order also asks whether personnel are fit and resources are ready.

Why. This aligns with Career Stage 1 expectations because the aspiring school head must understand the policy on moving between levels. “De-escalation to lower levels shall only occur when learners, teaching, and non-teaching personnel are demonstrably fit to resume, appropriate resources are available, and psychosocial readiness has been established” (DO 014, s. 2026, para. 56), and “the well-being of learners shall be the basis” for deciding readiness (para. 58). The 2-point option rests on physical safety alone (para. 65) and misses the readiness of people.

Indicator 2.5.1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of laws, policies, guidelines and issuances on managing school safety for disaster preparedness, mitigation and resiliency in ensuring continuous delivery of instruction.

Sources: DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026, paras. 12, 56, 58, 65 and Sec. V.J; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.

Nothing in this guide reproduces or predicts examination content.

Frequently asked questions

What are Hayo, Hinay, Hinga and Hinto in DepEd?

They are the four learning continuity levels of DO 014, s. 2026. At Hayo (Continue), regular in-person classes go on; at Hinay (Ease in), learning continues at a slower pace through modules, online classes or broadcasts; at Hinga (Check-in), academic demands are heavily reduced and well-being check-ins come first; at Hinto (Stop), academic learning stops while protection and basic needs come first (Sec. V.A).

When is the Learning and Service Continuity Plan updated?

Every year and every term. DO 014, s. 2026 has the LSCP developed annually before the school year and updated each term (para. 25), with the call tree renewed every school year (para. 33). The SDS approves it after review by the SGOD and CID chiefs (DO 022, s. 2024, Sec. V).

How soon must a school head report the learning continuity level?

Within the first 12 hours of any disruption, through the EiE: Learning Continuity dashboard mobile application, or by SMS or radio when networks are down (DO 014, s. 2026, para. 44). Every change of level, including the return to Hayo, is reported (para. 92), and the dashboard takes updates at 24-hour intervals until then (para. 51). If the school cannot report, the SDO reports for it (para. 53).

Are make-up classes required after a Hinay or Hinga day?

Not for each day. A Hinay or Hinga day counts as half a class day missed and a Hinto day as a full day, and make-up classes become required only when actual class days fall below 90% of the mandatory contact days (DO 014, s. 2026, para. 68). With SY 2026-2027’s 201 class days as the base, that line is 180.9 days. The school head schedules the classes.

Can a school give the term examination during Hinga?

No. DO 014 allows periodical exams only on in-person or Hayo days, after learners have had time to adjust (DO 014, s. 2026, para. 70); under DO 015, s. 2026, the end-of-term exam is the Term Examination. At Hinga, summative assessments are deferred until the school returns to Hinay or Hayo (DO 015, s. 2026, Annex A, para. 15).

Sources

DepEd issuances

• DepEd Order No. 014, s. 2026, Guidelines on Learning Continuity in Emergencies, June 4, 2026: cover order; Secs. I to XI, paras. 1 to 105; Annexes A.1, A.2, B, C, D.1, D.2, E.1, E.2 and E.3
• DepEd Order No. 022, s. 2024, Revised Guidelines on Class and Work Suspension in Schools During Disasters and Emergencies, December 23, 2024: Secs. III.5 to III.11, IV and V
• DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026, Guidelines on the Implementation of the Three-Term School Calendar in Basic Education, April 16, 2026: paras. 4, 20.ii, 21, 27, 32 and 33; Annex B
• DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026, Revised Guidelines on Classroom Assessment, Grading System, and Awards and Recognition for the K to 12 Basic Education Program, June 4, 2026: Annex A, paras. 13 to 20; Annex D, para. 22
• DepEd Order No. 016, s. 2026, Guidelines on Lesson Planning and Learning Design, June 4, 2026: Sec. V.A, para. 7.b.i; Sec. V.B
• DepEd Order No. 023, s. 2026, Guidelines on the Strengthened Senior High School Work Immersion, Field Exposure (Off-Campus), and Arts Apprenticeship, November 10, 2026: para. 24.b
• DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, Guidelines on Ensuring a Safe and Motivating Learning Environment, March 24, 2026: Sec. VIII
• DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024, Rationalization of Teachers’ Workload in Public Schools and Payment of Teaching Overload, April 29, 2024
• DepEd Order No. 026, s. 2025, Guidelines on the Payment of Overtime Services of Teachers, September 6, 2025
• DepEd Order No. 032, s. 2019, National Policy Framework on Learners and Schools as Zones of Peace, November 11, 2019: cover order, item 2
• DepEd Order No. 018, s. 2020, Policy Guidelines for the Provision of Learning Resources in the Implementation of the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan, July 20, 2020
• DepEd Order No. 40, s. 2012, DepEd Child Protection Policy, May 14, 2012
• DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020, National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads, September 7, 2020: indicators 1.2.2, 2.5.1, 2.5.2 and 3.6.2
• DepEd Memorandum No. 050, s. 2026, Implementing Guidelines on the Release, Utilization, Monitoring, and Reporting of the Program Support Fund for Flexible Learning Programs Under the FLO-ADM Fund Source, August 25, 2026: paras. 1 and 2; Encl. No. 1, paras. 1, 4.a and 9 to 11
• DepEd Memorandum No. 064, s. 2026, Anticipatory Action, Preparedness, and Protective Measures for the 2026–2027 Super El Niño, October 26, 2026: Secs. 5.2.2 and 6.6; Annex B
• DepEd Memorandum No. 086, s. 2025, Adoption and Deployment of Edukahon: Department of Education’s Standardized School Recovery Kit for Learning Continuity in Times of Emergencies and Disasters, September 27, 2025: paras. 3 to 6
• DepEd Memorandum No. 002, s. 2026, Implementing Guidelines of Kaagapay Program: Empowering the School Community for Values Formation, Learning Support, and Bullying Prevention, January 9, 2026: para. 4

Laws and executive issuances

• Republic Act No. 12080, Basic Education Mental Health and Well-Being Promotion Act, December 6, 2024
• Executive Order No. 130, s. 2026, Establishing a Framework for the Suspension and Resumption of Classes and Activities, and Onsite Work in Educational Institutions and Learning Centers, October 28, 2026: Sec. 3

DepEd materials and releases

• DepEd Learning Systems Strand, Learning Systems policy summaries, the 3-Term Calendar Checklist for School Heads and the teacher orientation worksheets, orientation package for SY 2026-2027
• DepEd, Omnibus Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of the Flexible Learning Program, policy briefer, April 13, 2026
• DepEd, “New EO empowers schools to adopt flexible learning modalities based on local conditions”, press release, November 12, 2026

Learning Systems reforms, SY 2026-2027

• DepEd Learning Systems Reforms: SY 2026-2027 Guide
• DepEd Three-Term School Calendar 2026-2027: DO 009 Guide
• DepEd Opening Block: The First Weeks of Term 1
• From Curriculum to Lesson: Unpacking and Budget of Work
• DepEd ILAW Lesson Plan, DO 016, s. 2026: School Head’s Role
• ILAW Lesson Plan: How to Write One, With Samples
• DepEd Pedagogy Cards: 50 Teaching Strategies by Key Stage
• DepEd Grading System, DO 015, s. 2026: School Head’s Role
• DepEd E-Class Record and SF9 for SY 2026-2027
• DepEd Learning Continuity in Emergencies: DO 014, s. 2026 (this post)
• DepEd Flexible Learning Program (FLP) Explained
• MATATAG Curriculum and Strengthened SHS in SY 2026-2027
• Strengthened SHS Electives: Full List by Cluster
• Work Immersion Guidelines 2026: DepEd Order No. 023, s. 2026

Written by Mark Anthony Llego for NASH Reviewer. Sources: DepEd Orders No. 014, 015, 016, 009, 006 and 023, s. 2026, No. 022 and 005, s. 2024, and No. 026, s. 2025; DepEd Memoranda No. 050, 064 and 002, s. 2026, and No. 086, s. 2025; Republic Act No. 12080; Executive Order No. 130, s. 2026; DepEd’s Learning Systems orientation materials. NASH Reviewer is not affiliated with DepEd.