Palace to consult CHED, DepEd on proposal to cut school days

Malacañang on Monday said it will still have to consult the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) on the proposal to cut down school days in anticipation of worsened traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

"We will ask DepEd and CHED for a feedback on the proposal for a four-day work week," presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said during a press briefing.

Last week, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority proposed a four-day school week to help ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila, which is expected to worsen due to upcoming infrastructure projects.

Lacierda, quoting CHED, said the idea was "interesting" but that it has yet to study the matter.  On the other hand, DepEd has yet to express its views on the issue.

"We will have some reprieve. We are moving towards summer. So siguro by that time, perhaps there would be time for them to study the matter and then for those who are moving towards the August school start, there will be some reprieve for a big number of students... of those universities," he said.

Among the projects expected to worsen traffic is the Skyway 3 extension project, which began Monday.

Lacierda, however, asked the public to "bear with [them]" until the project finishes.

"I know that this is going to be a difficult situation for traffic goers. I remember when we were building the Skyway sa South... the construction was really massive that's why maraming traffic and yet we went through it, we passed through it," he said.

"We are going through... the birth pangs. Talagang we have to go through it when we ask the public for some understanding. We will do our best to inform the public to find ways to mitigate the traffic situation if necessary to find alternate roads," he added. — BM, GMA News