MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) has officially declared October 27 to 30, 2025, as a Wellness Break for all public school teachers and learners, in response to a series of natural disasters and the increasing cases of influenza-like illnesses across the country.
DepEd emphasized that the wellness break is intended to ensure the health, safety, and overall well-being of the education sector, particularly in communities affected by typhoons, earthquakes, and rising flu infections.
“Many of our teachers and students come from areas hit by recent calamities or are currently dealing with health issues,” said Education Secretary Sonny Angara. “That’s why we said—let’s take a short break. We can all perform better if we are well-rested and in good health.”
Angara noted that the decision was made after continuous visits to schools, where teachers expressed their need for time to recover. “Every week, we visit schools and we hear the voices of our teachers. It’s only right that we give them time to rest and to be with their families,” he added.
In line with this, DepEd also encouraged schools to adjust the conduct of the Midyear In-Service Training (INSET)—a professional development program designed to enhance the teaching skills, strategies, and leadership capabilities of educators. The rescheduling is to ensure teachers can fully benefit from the wellness break without compromising their professional growth.
Following the wellness break, October 31 (Friday) has also been declared a special non-working holiday, giving students and educators an extended period of rest before All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day (November 2). Classes will resume on Monday, November 3, 2025.
This declaration also amends certain provisions of DepEd Memorandum–Office of the Undersecretary for Learning Systems-2025-095, in accordance with Department Order No. 12, s. 2025.
The move underscores DepEd’s commitment to supporting the mental health, resilience, and recovery of its workforce and learners amid continuing national challenges.–Cali Demi
