Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso on Wednesday approved the proposal submitted by the University of Santo Tomas (UST) to conduct limited face-to-face classes for its medical and allied health programs.
Domagoso approved the proposal during a meeting with UST Vice Rector for Academic Affairs Dr. Cheryl Peralta, UST Faculty of Medicine Dean Dr. Odette Maglinao, and UST College of Rehabilitation Sciences Dean Dr. Anne Aseron.
In their letter, the UST officials stressed the importance of face-to-face classes and pledged to ensure the safety of students and teaching personnel in the campus amid the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
"We believe that the conduct of face-to-face classes, particularly for clerkship/internship/practicum, is crucial to the development of competent health care professionals who will be able to serve the needs of society in the future," its letter read.
"Thus, UST is rigorously preparing for the safe reopening of its campus to students in priority programs that require face-to-face engagements as a pre-requisite to graduation," it added.
While the Manila mayor approved the proposal, he also reminded UST officials that students who refuse to participate in limited face-to-face classes should not be forced to do so.
“Huwag niyong pilitin ang ayaw, kasi baka may masabi sa inyo (Do not force them to attend face-to-face classes if they do not want to because they might have something negative to say about you),” he said during the meeting.
In a bid to ensure that the country has enough doctors to fight the pandemic, President Duterte approved the proposal of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to allow the holding of limited face-to-face classes for medical schools and allied health science programs.
A joint memorandum circular by CHED and the Department of Health (DOH) requires higher educational institutions who wish to conduct limited face-to-face classes to consult with their respective local government units their plans on how they will comply with government protocols.