ACT TEACHERS Partylist Representative France Castro on Tuesday questioned the exclusion of teachers in the government’s list of vaccine priorities.

“How will we be able to return to our schools safely and have face-to-face classes if facilities for minimum health standards cannot be met and teachers are not part of the top 5 vaccination priority of the government despite being education frontliners?” Castro asked.

“Napag-iwanan na nga ang mga guro ng mga military and uniformed personnel sa usapin ng suweldo, benepisyo at kagamitan para sa trabaho, pati ba naman sa pagbabakuna ay higit na nangunguna sila sa mga guro at iba pang kawani ng gobyerno?” the lawmaker added.

On Friday, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said teachers and social workers would fall under B1 or 6th priority.

Ahead of them are the frontline workers in health facilities, senior citizens aged 60 and above, persons with comorbidities not otherwise included in the preceding categories, frontline personnel in essential sectors including uniformed personnel and those in working sectors identified by the Inter Agency Task Force as essential during Enhanced Community Quarantine and the indigent population.

The lawmaker stressed that the government should make education frontliners part of the priority group.

“Napakasuwerte nga naman ng mga military at uniformed personnel. May VIP vaccination na noong nakaraang buwan, tumaas pa ang priority sa vaccination plan. Habang ang mga guro, binarat na nga sa benepisyo, kakarampot ang inilaan para sa ligtas na balik eskwela sa ilalim ng blended distance learning, nahuhuli pa sa vaccine plan,” Castro said.

“Sa buong panahon na tayo ay nasa lockdown, halos mumo ang natatanggap ng mga guro at kawani ng edukasyon dahil sa mababang pagprayoridad ng administrasyong Duterte sa edukasyon. Makikita ito sa panukalang badyet para sa 2021 kung saan ‘di hamak na mas malaki ang inilaan ng administrasyong ito para sa panunupil ng NTF-ELCAC kaysa sa modyul at internet allowance ng mga guro,” the lawmaker added.

She warned that the longer it takes for the youth to safely return to schools and have face-to-face classes, the more students will drop out and the more children would have limited access to quality education.