By Armando Fenequito Jr.
DAVAO CITY -- The city government here has urged all schools, including higher education institutions, to be ready with their "stay-at-home classes" plans as the opening of classes was already approaching.
Mayor Sara Duterte (Facebook / MANILA BULLETIN)
Mayor Sara Z. Duterte, in an interview on 87.5 Davao City Disaster Radio on Thursday, said the plan for online classes, distance learning, and take-home modules should at least cover two months because the lifting of the community quarantine was still indefinite.
“Nag-ingon ang doctors basin August pa daw but that is not—dili pud sila makatubag (The doctors said the quarantine may be lifted in August but they, too, cannot answer that), " she said.
Duterte said if the quarantine will be really lifted in August, she advised the schools and higher education institutions to prepare with their online classes, distance learning, take-home module starting earlier up to July 31, so that children can continue their studies while the quarantine is still ongoing.
The mayor said the city was still under enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, and will shift to modified community quarantine (MCQ) after April 26.
Duterte said the MCQ will be also implementing strict health protocols, but public transportation would now be allowed.
However, she clarified that there will be limited public utility vehicles plying the streets as part of protocol.
She said, under MCQ, workers of some establishments may return to work, subject to limitations, and provided that social distancing should be observed.
Duterte said establishments that would be allowed to operate should have a skeletal workforce, and shortened work hours.
She said the use of the Food and Medicine Pass (FMP) will be also implemented under MCQ, as well as the clustering of districts to limit the movement of the people, especially in areas identified with high number of COVID-19 cases.
Duterte also said that people should still wear face masks if they are outside of their homes as part of health protocol.