GAPAN CITY, Nueva Ecija – Students in this city will no longer have to worry about internet connectivity in case online classes will push through in the coming school year.
The city government here is set to provide every household with a 5 Mbps (Megabits per second) internet access for only PHP50 a month to make students capable of learning under the new system amid the country's fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In a video message, Mayor Emerson Pascual said the city government has already allocated funds to install fiber optic up to the remote villages here.
"Lalatagan ko po ng internet ang lahat ng bahay na gustong magpakabit dito sa lungsod ng Gapan, (we will provide internet to all households who wish to have it in this city)," the mayor said.
He noted that while online schooling becomes imminent, only about 10 percent of households here have access to internet.
Pascual, along with his sister, fourth district board member Joy Pascual, made the announcement as the Department of Education (DepEd) laid down the so-called blended method of education during this time of Covid-19 health crisis.
Earlier, both President Rodrigo Duterte and DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones have expressed disapproval of face-to-face schooling until an anti-Covid-19 vaccine is available in the country.
The system that will be connected with the city's command center will be owned by the local government, the mayor said.
He said the project commences this month of June.
The board member said, "Eh yung mga estudyante wala nang dahilan para hindi mag-aral (The students have no reason not to study)".
The mayor also said the city has allocated funds for the installation of air conditioning units in all the 787 classrooms in public schools here but noted that in-school classes may not be safe during this pandemic.
Meanwhile, a 23-year-old patient from Barangay San Cristobal, Licab, this province has fully recovered from Covid-19.
This brought to 46 the total number of recoveries in the province, which has recorded a total of 55 Covid-19 patients, of whom three died. (PNA)
