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Go emphasizes need to fast-track vax rollout

<p> Senator Christopher “Bong” Go </p>

 Senator Christopher “Bong” Go 

MANILA – Echoing the sentiments of President Rodrigo Duterte, Senator Christopher “Bong” Go remains firm on his stand that face-to-face classes in schools must be put on hold first until more Filipinos are vaccinated to reach population protection and eventually herd immunity amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ang importante sa amin ni Pangulo ay ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino (What’s important to me and the President is the life of each Filipino),” Go said in a media release Saturday.

Go said, in an interview at the Tondo Medical Center on Friday, during the launch of the 129th Malasakit Center, the government should first focus on the vaccination program before considering the resumption of face-to-face classes as the next school year nears.

“Let’s focus sa rollout sa ngayon at kapag nakamtan natin ang herd immunity, I’m sure papayag ang Pangulo at ako ay sang-ayon kay Pangulong Duterte na bawal muna ang face-to-face classes dahil delikado pa (Let’s focus on the rollout now and when we achieve herd immunity, I’m sure the President will allow [face-to-face classes] and I will agree with President Duterte to prohibit in the meantime face-to-face classes because it’s still dangerous),” Go said.

Go said amid the pandemic, he continues to favor blended learning, emphasizing that the government cannot afford to put children's health in danger if in case a Covid-19 outbreak happens in schools.

“We should focus right now sa pagbabakuna. Importante po tuluy-tuloy ang kaalaman ng mga kabataan bagama’t distance (blended) learning tayo (in vaccination. It is important that the education of our youth is continuous although it is distance learning),” he added.

He said the government does not want to waste the progress it has made in the fight against Covid-19 by taking the risk of face-to-face classes this early.

President Duterte just approved the Department of Education's recommendation to start the school year 2021-2022 on September 13. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, blended learning will be utilized for School Year 2021-2022, just as it was for the prior school year.

The DepEd is optimistic that blended learning will improve in the coming school year, after making improvements in the previous academic year to address some problems.

Last year, Go also appealed to education authorities as well as those in government media to utilize various approaches and tools to lessen the burden of particularly poorer students who cannot afford to buy computer gadgets or those without internet connection.

The Senator stressed the importance of ensuring the health and safety of the students, teachers, and wider community as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to plague the nation.

Go, however, agreed that the education of the students cannot be put at a standstill.

He urged DepEd and other concerned authorities to exert all efforts possible in improving further the blended learning system while face-to-face classes remain prohibited. (PR)

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