Gatchalian nixes holding of face-to-face classes

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Tuesday urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to take a step back and cancel its plan to hold even limited face-to-face classes in selected parts of the country as he stressed that this could still be risky.

"I strongly urge the Department of Education to continue with the distance learning modality and suspend face-to-face classes this coming August 24," Gatchalian, chair of the Senate committee on basic education, said in a statement.

"We don't want a scenario where physical classes will be opened but will eventually be suspended again because of infections in their respective areas," he added.

Gatchalian pointed out that after Metro Manila and other parts of the Philippines started to open up, the movement of people has also increased.

"Allowing face-to-face classes will once again enhance the movement of people that might result in infections within our schools. We have seen [a] sudden spike of COVID-19 cases in provinces that never had cases from the beginning because of [locally stranded individuals] who were allowed to go home," he added.

The senator said the government cannot afford to compromise the safety of the children as they are the country's "greatest wealth."

Earlier in the day, President Rodrigo Duterte approved Education Secretary Leonor Briones' recommendation to hold limited face-to-face classes only in low-risk areas where minimum health standards can be implemented.

Duterte previously said in May that he will not allow physical classes until a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available.

As of July 20, the Philippines has recorded a total of 68,898 COVID-19 cases with 23,072 recoveries and 1,835 deaths. — RSJ, GMA News