Are the neighborhood videoke addicts disturbing your children's online classes?

Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said people can seek police assistance if the use of videoke is being done during the time when children are engaged in online classes or modular learning.

Eleazar said Local Government Units (LGUs) should pass an ordinance or modify an existing ordinance on the use of videoke in order for the police to have a strong legal basis to stop the merry-making.

He added that the police action is not only limited to the use of videoke but other activities that create loud noises and eventually disturb students.

“The modular learning currently being implemented by the Department of Education amid the threat of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has practically turned every barangay into a learning space. The security, safety, and other measures being implemented before in the schools should be expanded to cover the entire barangay because students are now doing their school activities in their homes,” said Eleazar.

Eleazar said the Chief of the Philippine National Police, Gen. Camilo Cascolan, has already tasked local commanders to coordinate with the LGUs to strengthen the local ordinances to ensure that students will not be disturbed during their classes.

Another measure that will be implemented based on the order of Cascolan, according to Eleazar, is the setting up of Barangay Assistance Desks that will be manned by at least two policemen. The Barangay Assistance Desk will serve as the complaint and action center of the PNP at the community level, in cooperation with the barangay tanod.

“Our students are already having difficulty adjusting to this new kind of learning. Let us not make it harder for them so we appeal to the people in the community to refrain from engaging in activities that will distract them during their class hours,” said Eleazar.

Eleazar said viral photos and videos of some children crying and panicking during online classes are proof that the students are really having difficulty adjusting and as such, they need all the necessary assistance, including preventing unnecessary noises and distractions from their neighbors.

“Let us not be insensitive and act as if it is your absolute right to do the things that please you. Remember, your right to engage in noisy talks in your neighborhood ends when the right of the students to study in peace and in silence begins. Your right to sing using your videoke also ends when the right of the students not to be distracted to focus on their learning modules begins,” said Eleazar.

“We also encourage the parents and even the students themselves to let us know the noisy activities of their neighbors during their study time. We have hotlines and even a Facebook account to receive your complaints and we assure you of immediate action,” he added.

He said the public can also reach the PNP and JTF COVID Shield through the following hotlines: PNP Helpline 16677, 0998-849-0013 for Smart users, 0917-538-2495 for Globe users and PNP-Highway Patrol Group Hotline 0926-225-5474. They may also send emails to the PNP and JTF COVID: [email protected] and [email protected].

If possible, Eleazar said the complainant should take photos or videos of drinking sessions and the use of videoke by the violators.