The new normal caused enormous and extraordinary changes to education institutions in the Philippines, the majority of which have followed the residential, face-to-face method of instruction. Determining to what extent and in what manner the UN-endorsed policy responses are being played out in the Philippines is first presented in this paper, followed by notes on quite diverse local and institutional contexts. It will then examine three ZAMBASULTA (Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi) education institutions to provide realistic insights into certain segments of the Philippine education sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.