A province-wide class cancellation has been declared in Negros Oriental for Friday, August 7, 2026, after health authorities recorded a notable increase in conjunctivitis — the eye infection widely known as sore eyes — affecting communities in multiple parts of the province.
Governor Manuel L. Sagarbarria signed Executive Order No. 50, Series of 2026, on Wednesday, August 5, directing the suspension of classes at all levels across every public and private school in the province. The order was issued on the formal recommendation of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), which had been monitoring the uptick in reported conjunctivitis cases.
Executive Order Covers All Schools Province-Wide
According to Executive Order No. 50, the suspension applies without exception to all educational institutions — public and private — operating at every level throughout Negros Oriental. Governor Sagarbarria’s order cites the rising number of conjunctivitis cases across several areas of the province as the primary basis for the directive, with the IPHO having determined that reducing close contact among students, educators, and school staff was a necessary preventive step.
The provincial government explained that the one-day suspension serves a dual purpose: it provides affected students and school personnel with the time and opportunity to rest and seek proper medical attention, while simultaneously allowing school administrations to conduct thorough cleaning and disinfection of their campuses before classes resume.
Schools Required to Disinfect During Suspension
The executive order does not treat August 7 as a simple day off. Under the directive signed by Governor Sagarbarria, all school heads, administrators, and responsible officials of both public and private institutions are specifically required to clean and disinfect their entire campuses and facilities during the suspension period.
Executive Order No. 50 enumerates the areas that must be covered under the mandatory sanitation effort: classrooms, administrative offices, comfort rooms, school clinics, handrails, desks, chairs, learning equipment, and all other frequently touched surfaces. These high-contact areas have been identified as the most significant risk points for the rapid transmission of conjunctivitis in a school environment, according to the order.
Why Sore Eyes Spreads So Fast in School Settings
Conjunctivitis is among the most contagious of common infections, and schools — with their dense populations, shared facilities, and constant physical interaction — create near-ideal conditions for its spread. Canteens, comfort rooms, shared learning materials, and close seating arrangements all contribute to the ease with which the infection moves from person to person.
As noted in the text of Executive Order No. 50, symptoms of conjunctivitis include redness of the eyes, irritation, itching, excessive tearing, and discharge. The IPHO has advised residents experiencing any combination of these symptoms to refrain from touching or rubbing their eyes and to reduce close contact with others in order to limit further spread of the infection.
Monitoring and Alternative Learning Arrangements Authorized
The IPHO, together with Schools Division Offices, local government units, and school authorities, has been directed under the executive order to closely track how the health situation develops and to release further advisories or recommendations should circumstances warrant additional action, the order stated.
The Department of Education, along with school administrators and heads of educational institutions, has also been authorized to put in place alternative learning modalities, make-up classes, or any other measures permissible under existing laws and regulations — provided that any such arrangements prioritize the health and welfare of students and school personnel above all other considerations, according to the executive order.
Public Health Reminders Issued Alongside the Order
Beyond the class suspension itself, the provincial government used Executive Order No. 50 as an opportunity to issue a broader set of public health reminders. Parents, guardians, students, teachers, and non-teaching personnel were all advised to practice proper hand hygiene frequently and to avoid unnecessary close physical contact during the period of elevated infection risk.
The IPHO also cautioned residents against sharing personal items that could serve as vehicles for transmission — specifically towels, handkerchiefs, and eye drops — and urged anyone displaying symptoms of sore eyes to seek medical consultation without delay rather than waiting for conditions to worsen.
Order in Effect Immediately, Wide Dissemination Directed
Executive Order No. 50, Series of 2026, took effect immediately upon its signing on August 5, 2026. The provincial government directed all concerned local government units, educational institutions, and official communication channels to disseminate the suspension order promptly and widely, ensuring that parents, students, teachers, and school administrators across every part of Negros Oriental are informed and able to comply before August 7.
The provincial government’s move reflects a proactive public health posture, acting on the IPHO’s professional assessment rather than waiting for the outbreak to worsen before intervening.
By the Numbers
- August 7, 2026 — Date of the province-wide class suspension across all levels
- August 5, 2026 — Date Governor Sagarbarria signed Executive Order No. 50, Series of 2026
- 1 day — Duration of the court-ordered suspension covering all public and private schools
Why This Matters
The province-wide suspension affects every student, teacher, and non-teaching staff member enrolled or employed across all public and private schools in Negros Oriental, underscoring the breadth of the conjunctivitis outbreak as assessed by the Integrated Provincial Health Office. The mandatory campus disinfection requirement ensures that the day off translates into a concrete reduction in transmission risk rather than a mere pause in instruction. With the IPHO authorized to issue further advisories and the Department of Education empowered to arrange make-up classes, both the health response and academic continuity remain actively managed as the situation evolves.
Source: Breaking News Negros Oriental (breakingnewsnegrosoriental.com)
