SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Saturday commended the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases for heeding the call to move basic education frontliners higher in the Covid19 vaccine prioritization list.

Gatchalian, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, Arts and Culture, said the inclusion of basic education frontliners in the A4 priority list of the Covid19 vaccination program is a crucial step in ensuring that learners can return safely to schools when face-to-face classes resume, and that Filipinos will not be left behind by their peers in Asia and the rest of the world.

The Senate Adopted Resolution No. 92, which earlier called for the immediate launch of pilot tests of limited face-to-face classes in low-risk areas, also sought the prioritization of teachers in the vaccination program.

The senator explained prior to the adoption of the resolution, teachers and non-teaching staff have been serving as frontliners to collect and distribute learning modules.

“Prioritizing them for vaccination will inspire confidence that they will not be victims of severe transmission of the virus,” Gatchalian said.

“The sooner we get the vaccines in the arms of our teachers and non-teaching staff, the sooner we can restore normalcy in the lives of our learners and start the recovery of our basic education sector,” he added.