Contingency Measures in Higher Education in the Face of a Worldwide Energy Crisis (HE Memo#Y4.16)

HE Memo#Y4.16
26 March 2026

The escalating tensions in West Asia are alarming, to say the least. We feel the adverse impact of the energy crisis that’s also negatively affecting the economy and people’s welfare. How do we face this crisis?

The following factors have guided the Higher Education responses to the crisis, based on information from various sources, including the Ateneo Center for Economic Research and Development (ACERD), the Ateneo Institute of Sustainability (AIS), the Sanggunian, and the Ateneo Schools Parents Council (ASPAC), as well as discussions at the VPHE’s Council and the President’s Council:

• continuity of teaching, learning, and formation
• socio-economic and psychological well-being of the community
• the welfare of the environment
• focus on the common good
• operational sustainability

Responses to the Crisis 

The following strategies apply to all Higher Education schools, except for items 2a, 2b, and 3 which have modified ways of implementation by the Ateneo Graduate School of Business (AGSB), the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health (ASMPH), the Ateneo Law School (ALS), and the Ateneo School of Government (ASOG) appropriate to what is suitable in their contexts and campus locations.

1. Enforce energy consumption and financial resource-saving measures

For a comprehensive account of these measures, please refer to the memo issued by the University President: https://www.ateneo.edu/memorandum/2026/03/conservation-measures-amidst-escalating-tensions-west-asia-memo-u2526-079

2. Consolidate HE operations

a. Assign synchronized digital days for teaching and learning, with affordances extended to lab classes, practicum, exams, community engagement, spiritual formation, varsity athletics, patient encounters, etc. as the situation demands, based on ongoing vigilance.

Note: "Synchronized digital days" refer to designated days in which all classes are held online. Classes and activities may proceed onsite during synchronized digital days if these are required by the curricular objectives of the class. The provision for synchronized digital days should not hinder having on-site exams –whether written or oral.

Final Exams:
April 22 - 25 for graduating students (Monday to Saturday)
May 11 - 16 for non-graduating students (Monday to Saturday)

b. During synchronized digital days, consolidate operations in a very limited area in specific buildings for academic work and research that need to be carried out onsite. The University Registrar will issue a separate memo on the logistics of this matter to the Deans, Associate Deans, Department Chairs and Program Directors, Department Secretaries in GBSEALD, JGSOM, RGLSOSS, SOH, and SOSE.

c. During the synchronized Digital Days, the Rizal Library will continue operations but only limited spaces on the Loyola Campus will be open to the community. Among these are the Rizal Library’s First Pacific Hall (New Rizal Library) and the Special Collections Building (Old Rizal Library), with access limited to designated areas. The satellite RL campuses in Ortigas and Rockwell will follow the directives and schedules issued by ASMPH, ALS/AGSB, respectively. The University Librarian will issue a separate memo for details.

d. For offices that serve the academic needs of Higher Education, work arrangements will be issued in a memo by the VP for Human Resources. Please see also this memo from the University President: https://www.ateneo.edu/memorandum/2026/03/mitigating-measures-state-national-energy-emergency-memo-u2526-082

e. Re-evaluate and/or re-format activities in the schools, whether initiated by departments, admin, and students

3. Anticipate developments and prepare accordingly.

a. Formulate appropriate responses to developments in the crisis as the situation demands. 

b. Recalibrate the HE response, should things improve.

Class arrangements (April – May 2026)

The Table below shows the specific schedules for digital days that apply to the GBSEALD, JGSOM, RGLSOSS, SOH, and SOSE. Please note that classes in the Second Semester end on 16 May 2026.

While we cannot say for certain that we would be holding on to the schedule as outlined in the table above, at this point, it is, however, good to have an idea of when the synchronized digital days will take place. We hope that doing so will provide some stability in lesson planning during this very unstable situation that we are in.

A Posture of Vigilance and Hope

We continue to be vigilant in monitoring the current emergency situation and hope that the leaders of nations will make wiser decisions for the common good. For long-term development, we trust that we become more mindful of our use of resources and contribute to sustainable practices both in and outside of our campuses.

We pray for the end of this war and other wars and that peace be restored in our midst and in our hearts.