QC Rep. to DepEd: ‘Suspend classes in typhoon affected areas’

On Monday, Quezon City Representative Precious Hipolito Castelo said that the Department of Education (DepEd) should suspend classes in areas ravaged by powerful typhoons Rolly and Ulysses.

In his statement, Castelo suggested that DepEd allow its regional, provincial, city, and municipal officials to determine areas in Bicol Region, Cagayan Valley Region, and Metro Manila where online classes could be suspended and for how long.

It is only humane to allow students to recover physically and mentally in the next few weeks. Grades should not add to the burden the academic community has to face in difficult times,

she said.

Castelo argued that distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer a matter of Internet accessibility, she pointed out that many students have no electricity, no access to water and other basic resources after the typhoons that hit parts of the country only a week apart from each other. Tens of thousands of Filipinos were also displaced and road and communications infrastructure were damaged.

Until such service is restored and there is strong, sustainable connectivity, distance learning is not possible...The least we can do to help those in typhoon-ravaged communities in these trying times is give students and teachers and their families a respite from academic work,

she said.

Castelo said areas where classes should be suspended could regain for the lost learning time by extending their school calendar or holding makeup classes.

While classes are suspended, education and local officials may clean school facilities submerged by flooding, while telecommunication companies are repairing damaged vital infrastructure, she added.

Local officials may also relocate the evacuees housed in schools to other safe areas in case teachers already need to use their classrooms, Castelo continued.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said at least three more tropical cyclones are expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) before the end of the year.