PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved the holding of limited face-to-face classes for medicine and allied health sciences courses in universities and colleges in areas under modified general community quarantine.

“The President has approved my recommendation to have limited face-to-face within higher education institutions in medicine and allied health sciences in MGCQ areas and in GCQ areas where the students go into Covid19 hospitals,” Commission on Higher Education chief Prospero De Vera III said.

Among the schools allowed to conduct limited face-to-face classes are the University of the Philippines-Manila, Ateneo de Manila University and the Our Lady of Fatima University in Valenzuela City.

Dr. Charlotte Chiong, dean of UPM College of Medicine, said that school officials are “pretty confident” with the college’s health protocols, stressing that the university tested more than 11,000 healthcare workers.

“Mas marami ang transmission sa community kaysa sa ospital. That we already established because we did more than 11,000 testing for healthcare workers within Philippine General Hospital,” Chiong said.

The college reported that over 200 students have been on rotation in hospitals for their internships.

Around 180 students also returned to hospitals on January 18 for their clinical clerkships. Since then, three interns and one clerk tested positive for Covid19.

Meanwhile, CHED said other schools who wish to hold limited face-to-face classes must submit applications.

“Education authorities will then visit the campus to inspect its compliance with requirements for face-to-face classes,” it added.