CAVITE - Governor Jonvic Remulla expressed disappointment over the Department of Education's (DepEd) modular teaching and learning process plan for the coming school year amid the continuous threat of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
In an open letter to Education Secretary Leonor Briones on Monday (July 13), Remulla deplored DepEd's modular plan which will cost P5 billion to educate Cavite's 600,000 students.
The provincial government is expected to shoulder the whole amount, but according to Remulla, the budget simply isn't enough.
"Para sa kaalaman ng lahat, ang 2020 budget ng lalawigan ay P4.7 bilyon (For everyone's information, the budget of the province for 2020 is P4.7 billion)," Remulla wrote.
"Halos P1 bilyon na ang nagastos para sa COVID response. P2.1 bilyon ang mandated para sa pasweldo at pang Operating Budget ng Lalawigan. P1 bilyon ang para sa mga hospital. Mayroon pa kaming ibang department at programa para sa 4.5M na katao o mamamayan ng Cavite (Almost P1 billion has already been spent for COVID-19 response. P2.1 billion is mandated for salaries and other operating budget components. P1 billion is allotted for hospitals. We also have other departments and programs for the 4.5 million residents of Cavite)," Remulla added.
The governor also lamented survey results showing that only 10 percent of students have full-time access to a tablet, laptop, or desktop computer at home.
And with almost 100 private schools in the province not opening their doors this upcoming academic year, more students are expected to turn to the public school system.
"I am not a complainer. This week we will present our Cavite Educational Plan. It is our local solution to a NATIONAL problem. It is unfortunate that at the time of COVID, every Filipino student should be given a chance at proper education. Yet, the reality is only the rich can afford to learn," Remulla rued.
Meanwhile, the governor thanked the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) for allowing couples to pillion ride (back ride). However, he has grievance about the back shield policy.
"Unfortunately, kung sino man ang gumawa ng back shield design instruction ay kailanman hindi sumakay ng motor. (Unfortunately, whoever made the back shield design instruction has never ridden a motorcycle)," Remulla decried.
"It is dangerous, inconvenient and most importantly, it does NOT make sense! Wasn’t it based on the point that couples who live in one house makes transmission less possible?" the governor asked.
Remulla has previously appealed to the IATF to allow pillion ride for couples as they return to work amid limited public transportation.
As of July 12, Cavite has recorded 890 coronavirus cases, with 332 recoveries and 51 mortalities.