Duterte open to talking more about face-to-face classes
Published Jun 11, 2020 12:00 am
By Argyll Cyrus Geducos
Malacañang said President Duterte will surely be open to further discussions about allowing residential or face-to-face cases in areas with no cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) despite his stand to not allow children to go back to school while a vaccine is not available.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte
(TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Education Secretary Leonor Briones said she will ask President Duterte to allow residential classes in areas with no COVID-19 cases while following minimum health standards. In his Thursday, June 11, presser, Roque said that while President Duterte has already made his stand clear, the chief executive will surely be open to further discussions about the suggestion. "Nagsalita na po ang Presidente, ayaw po niya na ipagsapalaran ang kalusugan ng ating mga kabataan (The President had already said that he will not place the children's health at risk). I'm sure the President is open to further discussion on the possibility of face-to-face," he said. "We will see po what will happen in the next few months kasi Agusto pa naman po ang simula ng klase (because classes will not resume until August anyway)," he added. Roque, however, reiterated that there will be no classes in areas with cases of COVID-19. "Pero uulitin ko po: Habang may banta ang COVID sa isang lugar, eh out of the question po 'yan (Let me repeat: While the threat of COVID-19 is still present in a certain area, face-to-face classes is out of the question)," he said. Duterte earlier expressed support for the plan of the Department of Education (DepEd) for distance and blended learning and vowed to scrape the bottom of the barrel to fund the blended and distant learning strategy. Last week, President Duterte expressed doubt about the country's preparedness to hold online classes as an alternative while the country continues to face the threat of the pandemic. "Secretary Briones is insisting there should be an alternative here and she has a very good program for that. Parang (It's like) teleconferencing," he said. "The technology is good but I don't know if we're ready for that. Meaning to say if we have enough of those na gamitin para sa (for the) whole of the Philippines," he added. Duterte said if the technology was already present and the government can afford the equipment, the DepEd can proceed with its plan. The President has repeatedly said that he will not allow students to go back to school unless a vaccine or cure for COVID-19 is developed. "We have to wait for the vaccine. Maghintay talaga tayo sa vaccine. Sabi ko sa inyo walang vaccine, walang eskwela (We really have to wait for the vaccine. I already told you: No vaccine, no schooling)," he said. After being suspended since March, classes in basic education are set to reopen on August 24.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte(TOTO LOZANO/PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the statement after Education Secretary Leonor Briones said she will ask President Duterte to allow residential classes in areas with no COVID-19 cases while following minimum health standards. In his Thursday, June 11, presser, Roque said that while President Duterte has already made his stand clear, the chief executive will surely be open to further discussions about the suggestion. "Nagsalita na po ang Presidente, ayaw po niya na ipagsapalaran ang kalusugan ng ating mga kabataan (The President had already said that he will not place the children's health at risk). I'm sure the President is open to further discussion on the possibility of face-to-face," he said. "We will see po what will happen in the next few months kasi Agusto pa naman po ang simula ng klase (because classes will not resume until August anyway)," he added. Roque, however, reiterated that there will be no classes in areas with cases of COVID-19. "Pero uulitin ko po: Habang may banta ang COVID sa isang lugar, eh out of the question po 'yan (Let me repeat: While the threat of COVID-19 is still present in a certain area, face-to-face classes is out of the question)," he said. Duterte earlier expressed support for the plan of the Department of Education (DepEd) for distance and blended learning and vowed to scrape the bottom of the barrel to fund the blended and distant learning strategy. Last week, President Duterte expressed doubt about the country's preparedness to hold online classes as an alternative while the country continues to face the threat of the pandemic. "Secretary Briones is insisting there should be an alternative here and she has a very good program for that. Parang (It's like) teleconferencing," he said. "The technology is good but I don't know if we're ready for that. Meaning to say if we have enough of those na gamitin para sa (for the) whole of the Philippines," he added. Duterte said if the technology was already present and the government can afford the equipment, the DepEd can proceed with its plan. The President has repeatedly said that he will not allow students to go back to school unless a vaccine or cure for COVID-19 is developed. "We have to wait for the vaccine. Maghintay talaga tayo sa vaccine. Sabi ko sa inyo walang vaccine, walang eskwela (We really have to wait for the vaccine. I already told you: No vaccine, no schooling)," he said. After being suspended since March, classes in basic education are set to reopen on August 24.