President Duterte on in-person learning: ‘I cannot gamble on children’s lives’
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on Monday, June 28, reiterated that he would not allow students to go back to face-to-face classes despite the start of the vaccination of the country’s educators.
The
President made the remarks after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque reported
the government’s move of symbolically inoculating government workers such as
soldiers, policemen, jail as well as fire personnel. Teachers were also
included in the symbolic vaccination.
Secretary
Roque said that the vaccination is also part of the Department of Education’s
(DepEd) efforts to make teachers get protected against the coronavirus since
they are also listed in the government’s priority list for inoculation.
President
Duterte said in his weekly public address that although he is in favor of
in-person learning and DepEd wants to return regular teaching mode, he still
has to protect children from COVID-19, especially with the emergence of a more
contagious variant.
“Whatever
is convenient or comfortable para sa mga bata nandoon ako. Kaya lang, there is
a monkey wrench in that government machinery,” he said.
“Ang
monkey wrench niyan is the COVID-19 D. Ngayon lang ‘yan lumabas at lumaganap na
doon sa Great Britain pati India, at hindi malayo, baka, dadating dito sa
atin.”
Experts
said the new mutated version, the SARS-Cov-2 Delta or lineage B.1.617.2, is
much more aggressive, more contagious and fatal, than previous COVID-19
variants.
The
President apologized to parents for the disruption in their children’s
education. “Patawarin lang po ninyo ako kasi hindi ko kayang magbigay ng
pahintulot na puwede na silang normal sa eskuwelahan. Kasi kung
magkadisgrasyahan, buhay ito.”
“Ang
ano nito is delayed lang ang edukasyon ng bata pero it will normalize one of
these days. But I cannot gamble, I said, with the life of our children. Mahirap
‘yan kasi ako ang mananagot sa lahat.”
He
made similar apology to Education Secretary Leonor Briones for his decision not
allow face-to-face classes.
“Let
us see what develops in the other countries na mayroon nang epidemic with
another ano, hindi pa naman pandemic ‘yan. How it will rollout sa buhay ng
isang tao,” he said.
The
country has made inroads in its mass vaccinations campaign as more vaccines
come in.
During
Monday’s meeting with the President, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr.
said the Philippines had been able to administer at least 10 million COVID-19
vaccine doses.
As
of June 28, the Philippines recorded a total of 1,403,588 coronavirus
infections, with 52,029 active cases and 24,456 deaths. PND
