REP, Roman Romulo believes that face-to-face classes should not resume in the National Capital Region and other urban areas until the government has implemented its Covid vaccination program.

The chairman of the Committee on Basic Education and Culture at the House of Representatives said that the studies conducted in other countries on the safe resumption of physical classes cannot be applied in the Philippines.

“‘Pag pinag-usapan natin ang urban areas at NCR, sigurado ko po hindi talaga puwede magkaroon ng pilot face-to-face. ‘Yung mga piniprisinta po, lalo na ‘yung mga studies na ipinakikita nila sa ibang bansa, tingin ko po hindi tutugma o sasang-ayon dito sa ating bansa,” Romulo said.

He pointed out that most schools are located in densely populated places, making it difficult to implement minimum health standards such as physical distancing.

“Hangga’t walang vaccine, sigurado ako dapat sa NCR and urban centers hindi dapat magkaroon ng face-to-face classes, kahit pilot lang. Hindi talaga pwede. Mas mahalaga ‘yung buhay ng tao,” Romulo said.

He said that the Department of Education, Department of Health and local government units should coordinate and prepare for the resumption of physical classes in accordance with available data and actual situation.

“Sa mga rural areas, ‘pag preparado po ang DOH, DepEd at LGU na may magandang ugnayan — hindi lang po ‘yung datos na may mababang Covid — kailangan po eh ano ang contingency plans nila ‘pag nagsimula na ang pilot face-to-face doon na masusunod ang minimum health protocols,” Romulo said.

He also called on the Education department to make adjustments and be flexible in the delivery of education.

“Mahirap talaga ang distance learning, talagang bababa pa ang kalidad ng edukasyon kung hindi mag-aadjust ‘yung pagtuturo natin. Kung susundan pa rin natin ‘yung too rigid tayo na ang gagawin natin ay competencies pa rin. Dapat dito, flexible enough tayo, let us see the reality. Siguraduhin natin na very focused na and targeted ‘yung gusto nating matutunan ng ating mga mag-aaral,” he said.