By Niño Luces
STO. DOMINGO, Albay – An incoming Grade 9 student in Sto. Domingo town, Albay province reportedly killed himself by hanging inside a small hut near their home in Brgy. Fidel Surtida on Tuesday due to expenses for his “online classes.”
The victim's mother claimed that her son had been complaining about the expenses for “network loads” or internet fees for online class in an interview with local radio reporter Andy Madrigalejo.
The incident was confirmed by Department of Education (DepEd) Bicol regional director Gilbert Sadsad in an official statement issued Wednesday afternoon.
“We have been informed this morning that a learner of Sto. Domingo National High School died in a small hut near their home in Barangay Fidel Surtida on June 16, 2020 allegedly because he was distressed by the “online classes.” His body was found by his brother at around 5 a.m. on that day,” Sadsad said.
Madrigalejo said the victim previously saved a friend from committing suicide earlier this week.
“Mga 1st week ngayong Hunyo, niligtas nito ang kanyang kaibigan sa tangkang pagpapakamatay. Yung nangyari, nakita niyang nakabitay ang kaibigan, malapit lang kasi yung bahay nila, tapos niyakap saka humingi ng tulong para maalis. Naka survive yung kaibigan,” Madrigalejo said.
”Mahirap ang pamilya. Namumrublema nga sa gabi-gabing gastusin sa lamay." (He came from a poor family. Their problem is how they can pay for the nightly wake expenses.)
Sadsad said that DepEd is deeply saddened by the tragic incident.
He said the victim was a 19-year-old Balik-Aral learner who was supposedly scheduled to enroll in Grade 9 in Sto. Domingo National High School.
“As soon as we learned of the incident, we notified the Schools Division Superintendent of Albay, and requested her to speak with the family of our learner as well as conduct a validation of the circumstances relative to the incident. Once we receive the Incident Report from the SDO of Albay, we will respond with the necessary actions for the victim and his family. We will also be sending our personnel who can provide pyscho-social intervention to his siblings who might also be learners of our schools in Sto. Domingo. We will also coordinate with the DSWD for any psycho-social aid and assistance for the bereaved family,” Sadsad said in his official statement.
He said the DepEd Bicol region will implement blended learning and will be most flexible in providing alternative delivery modes to learners to help them cope with the challenges posed on education by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
“We cannot discount the fact that we also have to consider the extreme vulnerability of our learners to depression and emotional breakdowns. Thus, we will see to it that before the opening of classes on August 24, proper psycho-social activities will be provided to our learners, teachers, and personnel to ensure sound mental and emotional conditions as we continue to adapt to the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also reiterating that the online mode of learning is not the primary consideration of DepEd Bicol as the initial mapping of our resources implies that blended learning or modular learning which uses printed learning materials, is more favorable for the majority of our learners. We are also assuring the public that the SMILE Learning Continuity Plan of Bicol Region is developed to be the most responsive and to be the most adaptive and flexible learning strategy for all Bicolano learners,” Sadsad said.