In preparation for the opening of classes this incoming school year, the Department of Education (DepEd) appealed to local government units (LGUs) to pull out Covid-19 isolation facilities that were put up in schools.
DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa, in a press conference early this week, said LGUs have been directed to remove unused quarantine facilities since schools are preparing for the full resumption of face-to-face classes this School Year (SY) 2022-2023.
“We are really trying to prepare all the schools kasi kulang na nga tayo ng classrooms (because as it is, we don’t have enough classrooms),” Poa said.
Public schools, especially in Metro Manila, were allowed to use quarantine facilities by LGUs to curb the spread of Covid-19.
“We are really appealing to the LGUs na itong mga schools na nagamit na isolation facilities noon na ngayon ay may natitira pa ring mga tents, pinapatanggal na po natin yun and they committed to do so (We are really appealing to the LGUs that the schools that were used as isolation facilities before with still have tents left to remove these and they committed to do so),” he added.
For instance, Poa said that a school in Quezon City is already pulling out existing isolation tents after discussing it with the DepEd.
Asked how many schools are still being used as Covid-19 quarantine facilities, Poa said that DepEd is still consolidating the data coming from different regional offices.
In Metro Manila, partial data released by DepEd as of Aug. 4 showed that quarantine facilities in at least four schools division are still not removed by the LGUs.
In Caloocan City, the quarantine facilities in two schools - Tala Elementary School and Macario B. Asistio Senior High School Unit 1 - are “no longer utilized to date coordination has been done with the LGU to pull out these facilities.”
In Pembo Elementary School, Makati City, DepEd said that the quarantine facilities are “no longer in use and scheduled to be dismantled within the week.”
In Padre Mariano Gomez Elementary School, Manila City, DepEd said that the isolation facility is “no longer in use and currently being pulled out.”
Meanwhile, Pasig City Rizal High School in Pasig City is currently used as a Centralized Quarantine Facility. “Upon coordination with LGU, they requested to be allowed to use the RCE Building with 12 instructional classrooms; and the Gymnasium which is used for logistics and equipment till October 2022,” DepEd said.
“They assured that they will pull-out and clear the buildings before the implementation of the full face-to-face classes as stated in DO 34, s. 2022,” added.
In Arkong Bato National High School, Valenzuela City DepEd said that “there are five patients currently being quarantined on the school grounds, meters away from the school building.”
Despite this, DepEd noted that “personnel and learners can safely pass through the covered court going to the school building.”
Meanwhile, DepEd noted that there are no schools used as quarantine facilities in Las Pinas City, Marikina City, Mandaluyong City, Muntinlupa City, Malabon City, Navotas City, Paranaque City, Pasay City, Quezon City, San Juan City, and Taguig and Pateros.
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