With students facing imminent return to campus, many have been preparing for the shift from online lectures to face-to-face classes. This includes planning their daily route to campus, acquiring the necessary books and supplies, and preparing their school uniform. But according to Vice President Sara Duterte, students attending public schools would not be required to wear uniforms for the upcoming school year. The education secretary made the statement last Monday amid the continuous rise of prices of necessities. The move is said to help families avoid the additional costs for new school uniforms. “Even before the pandemic, it is not a strict requirement for public schools to wear uniforms (DepEd Order No. 065, s. 2010) to avoid incurring additional costs to the families of our learners,” she said.

The vice president’s statement is a reiteration of DepEd Order 65, S. 2010, which reads: “the wearing of a school uniform shall not be required in public schools. Students with existing uniforms may continue using these uniforms, if they so desire, in order to avoid incurring additional costs for new attire.”

However, the announcement was met with mixed reactions among netizens. Some welcomed the chance to wear whatever they want to their classes. Others said the issue of outfits is another worry that students would just have to face every day on top of their academic concerns. Meanwhile, as Filipinos are wont to do, some netizens went down the route of memes, recommending outfits that are not attention-grabbing and eye-catching at all (/s). Here are some of the totally “wearable” outfits that netizens recommend students can dress in for their classes in the upcoming school year.

Dress up as your K-pop idol

me on the first day of school, since deped said uniforms will not be required anymore pic.twitter.com/Apis8zxD5O

— Carrot 🥕⑰ (@Carrottttyy) July 19, 2022

ay ganon ba @DepEd_PH

WE UP RUN THIS SCHOOL BHIE pic.twitter.com/UunA99Cx7z

— CELEBRATE / 컁 kyang (@kyangseungie) July 19, 2022

Dress up as your favorite anime character

DepEd: Uniforms no longer required

Me and the Gang: pic.twitter.com/wgyLQrJa19

— OTAKU WORLD PH (@OTAKUWORLDPH) July 19, 2022

Dress up like a runway model

uniforms aren’t required anymore next month for the upcoming face to face classes???? great so what do y’all think of these outfits??? pic.twitter.com/C9aaqUhqSg

— Lia (@chaeriyii) July 18, 2022

Dress up with a chaotic band shirt

deped doesnt require uniforms for the next school year, time to wear the american cock band my chemical romance shirt

— clay | the trouble with fever! | 10.28.2022 (@saoirse_winslet) July 18, 2022

Dress up as your favorite food

know your style @luckymeph @DepEd_PH pic.twitter.com/Trje49PZ4T

— cantonerist (@gray_hammmm) July 19, 2022

Dress down in pajamas

kung hindi n kailangan mag uniform sa pasukan mag pajama nalang cguro ako

— Kœhi🌷 (@yizhoupup) July 18, 2022

Dress up and break gender roles

*/ Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte says that uniforms will not be required this coming school year

Me: well okay… 💅 pic.twitter.com/AnjPx04Rqn

— Samahan Ng Maraming Fans Ni Mima Sassa (@snmfnms) July 19, 2022

Vice President and DepEd Secretary Sara Duterte says that uniforms will not be required this coming school year in public schools “to avoid incurring additional costs to the families of our learners.”

Me: pic.twitter.com/GrFOgsePlQ

— scotty (@skylinescotty) July 19, 2022

Or simply wear your school uniform

The DepEd Order did say students can choose to wear school uniforms if they want. You do you, students.

Maka order na ng uniform, ayoko maging estetik sa pasukan😀

— quiel. (@exequielmpena) July 13, 2022

lakompake basta mag u uniform ako sa pasukan

— grace. ia (@jxvbun) July 18, 2022

What are your thoughts on the non-requirement of school uniforms for the upcoming school year?

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