Senators on Wednesday pressed for the pilot implementation of limited face-to-face classes to prepare the country for its rollout once fully allowed by the government.
During the Senate basic education committee's hearing on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to the education sector on February 24, lawmakers found the DepEd's persuasion lacking as they noted that children are already being allowed to go out for travel and leisure to help in the economic recovery.
President Duterte, last Monday, thumbed down anew the Department of Education's (DepEd) recommendation to start holding face-to-face classes in 1,065 schools within areas that are low-risk for coronavirus infections.
According to DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan, the 1,065 schools -- or five schools per division -- only account for about 2.5 percent of the more than 42,000 schools in the Philippines.
"Parang kulang sa persuasive powers ang DepEd kasi, tignan niyo, dapat papayagan na 'yong mga kabataan natin pumunta sa arcade center, pwede na silang pumunta sa mall -- kaya hindi ko maintidihan -- pero hindi sila pwedeng bumalik sa classroom with a limited number of students (I think the DepEd lack persuasive powers, because, come to think of it, the government was about to allow children to go to arcades and malls -- that's why I don't understand it -- when they are not allowed to go back to classrooms with a limited number of students)," Senator Nancy Binay said during the hearing.
"Pwede na silang mag-Boracay, pwede na silang mag-Baguio (They can even travel to Boracay or Baguio)," she added.
Senator Imee Marcos also shared this view, saying: "Hinayang na hinayang ako sa nawalang taon sa ating kabataan...Nauna pa sana sa mga mall, sa mga sinehan, sa mga gaming arcade, sa mga sabungan (I deeply regret the one year our children lost for learning. Schools should have opened before malls, cinemas, gaming arcades and cockpits)."
Binay said there could have been a "miscommunication" between government agencies as to the DepEd's proposal, although Malaluan said that the agency, led by Secretary Leonor Briones, has since been clear that it only pushes for a pilot resumption of limited face-to-face classes in identified areas.
Senator Francis Pangilinan suggested to the DepEd to lower its targeted pilot areas to hundreds, to convince the Interagency Task Force (IATF) on the Management of Infectious Disease to allow the assessment on face-to-face classes.
"Ayaw nilang aprubahan 'yong (They won't approve those) 1,065. Baka naman mayroon kayong (Maybe you have an) alternative, just to be able to get a system going and be able to fine tune. Why does it have to be 1,000 plus? Baka naman papayag 'yong IATF kung 500, or 300 o 200 lang (maybe the IATF will agree if you limit it to 500, or 300, or 200 only)," he proposed.
Senate basic education committee chairman Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian backed his colleagues, saying the DepEd should at least prepare before face-to-face classes actually resume.
Sen. Pia Cayetano, for her part, proposed to allow conduct of outdoor classes among a limited number of students and while observing minimum health protocols."Kung ayaw n'yo pa talaga ng indoor (If you really don't like indoor classes), let’s go back to the outdoor," she said, mentioning her recent visits in remote communities.