THE DEPARTMENT of Education was urged to provide financial and medical assistance to teachers and employees infected with coronavirus disease 2019.

“Whether they acquired the virus through community transmission or even at home does not change the fact that they are teachers, and the DepEd, their employer has responsibility over them,’” Benjo Basas, national chairperson of Teachers’ Dignity Coalition, said.

“They serve the government as frontliners of education service, which made them even more prone to infection,” he added.

Basas reacted to a DEPED statement that the reported cases of five Isabela teachers who succumbed to Covid19 were not work-related.

He shared that TDC received reports that many teachers in Region II tested positive for the virus. This prompted the group to seek the complete data of Covid-infected DepEd personnel.

TDC sent a letter to Education Secretary Leonor Briones on April 7 seeking a full disclosure.

“Kailangan nating malaman kung ilan na sa ating mga guro at kawani ng DepEd ang nahawaan ng Covid19 at kung bakit sila nahawa? Maaari kasing nahawa sila dahil sa physical reporting, home visitation at face-to- face meetings and seminars na iniuutos sa kanila. Kung ganoon, malinaw na may lumalabag sa panuntunan. Dapat lang na managot ang mga ito, dapat silang kasuhan at parusahan. Pero sa ngayon, kailangang mabigyan muna ng agarang suportang pinansiyal at medical ang mga nahawaan ng sakit, work-related man o hindi. Obligasyon ito ng DepEd at hindi lamang opsiyon, lalong hindi kawanggawa,” Basas said.

Citing Section 22 of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers, Basas said “ensuring healthcare for our teachers, even hospitalization and treatment is a mandate of the DepEd, with or without this pandemic.”