DepEd suspends regional, national events anew due to COVID-19

MANILA - The Department of Education (DepEd) is suspending scheduled national and regional events due to recent developments with regard to the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a statement released Sunday, DepEd said scheduled national and regional events, such as the Palaro Regional Meets, are canceled until further notice.

However, the National Festival of Talents (NFOT) and the National Schools Press Conference (NSPC), will go on as scheduled since the participants are already at the venue.

DepEd assured that "heightened precautions are being implemented at NFOT and NSPC," and some programs that can be avoided, such as parades, will be foregone.

"Decisions on other DepEd activities shall await definitive advisory from the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) that we hope to receive tomorrow, to ensure informed, coordinated and proportionate response," DepEd added.

The announcement came a day after the Department of Health (DOH) confirmed local transmission of COVID-19.

The Philippines currently has 6 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with one death.

• CODE RED: Philippines' coronavirus cases rise to 6, DOH confirms local transmission

Last month, DepEd also postponed all regional and national activities for February to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

It then allowed the resumption of off-campus school activities by Feb. 24.