Classes in all levels at the University of the Philippines Integrated School in Diliman, Quezon City will start on June 16, UPIS Principal Dr. Aurora Zuñiga said Monday.

Zuñiga said the postponement is in line with the Commission on Higher Education's order to all colleges and universities to push back school opening to June 15.

CHED officials issued the order after three students from De La Salle University in Manila tested positive for Influenza A(H1N1) virus. That school’s main campus suspended classes until June 14, as a precaution to prevent the spread of that new strain of flu virus.

“Many foreign students studying in the Philippines are still coming in for the opening of classes. Some of them have come from countries where there are confirmed A(H1N1) cases, thus the rescheduling of the class opening will give them time to self-quarantine,” CHED Chairman Emmanuel Angeles said.

He said other factors contributed to the decision to defer the opening of classes, such as the inclement weather the country is now experiencing.

“The recent spell of heavy rains had already caused the suspension of classes in the elementary and high school levels,” Angeles said.

He said the monsoon rains have caused street flooding and traffic congestion “which are not conducive for both the students and the higher education institutions relative to the opening of the school year.”

The UPIS is the laboratory school of the University of the Philippines, Diliman, College of Education. The school has an integrated curriculum from Kindergarten to the 10th Grade.

UP-Diliman earlier said it would move the opening of classes to June 16.

Cristina Hidalgo, vice president for public affairs of UP-Diliman, said they moved the opening of classes following CHED’s recommendation.

Hidalgo said other UP campuses in Los Baños, Baguio, Visayas and Pampanga would also postpone the opening of classes to June 16.

She added UP-Manila and the UP campus in Mindanao would open classes a day earlier, on June 15.

Hidalgo added UP-Diliman also postponed the freshman assembly, which was supposed to be held yesterday, to welcome incoming freshmen to UP.