SENATOR Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday reiterated the need to vaccinate minors, especially those aged 12-17, to ensure the safe reopening of schools.

Giving jabs will boost the confidence of parents to allow their children to attend physical classes when these are finally allowed, Gatchalian said.

He cited the result of a Pulse Asia survey which showed that majority of parents and guardians deemed it risky to attend face-to-face classes.

In the survey conducted from June 7-16 with 1,200 respondents nationwide, 90 percent of parents and guardians who opposed the resumption of in-person learning said it is still dangerous to go to school because of the pandemic.

The non-availability of vaccines was cited as a major concern of 57 percent of the respondents.

Nationwide, 44 percent of the respondents agreed that learners should be allowed to attend the coming school year physically, 33 percent were unsure, and 23 percent disagreed.

Agreement to have face-to-face classes was higher among classes D and E compared to households in classes ABC.

Gatchalian pressed the need to have a rollout plan in place, which should involve the Department of Education, Department of Health, the National Task Force Against Covid19, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of the Interior and Local Government and local government units.

He cited the need for a risk-based assessment in choosing pilot sites for limited in-person schooling.

Priority should be given to areas with no Internet, the senator added.

“Bagama’t hangarin nating makabalik ang ating mga mag-aaral sa kanilang mga paaralan, prayoridad pa rin natin ang kanilang kaligtasan. Kaya naman isinusulong natin ang pagbabakuna ng mga mag-aaral at kung sakaling maaprubahan na ang pagkakaroon ng face-to-face classes, simulan natin ito sa mga lugar na mababa o walang kaso ng Covid19,” Gatchalian said.