Restrictions again
THE “blistering pace”of COVID-19 transmission is forcing the government, through concerned offices and agencies, to reimpose restrictions designed to address the pandemic.
Outright, the government stopped the holding of face-to-face (F2F) classes, particularly in the heavily-populated Metropolitan Manila area, where the rate of increase is “dramatic.”
Some quarters, including medical doctors, attributed the COVID-19 spike to the emergence of the more infectious “Omicron” variant and the downgrading of the alert level in the country.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), headed by Secretary Eduardo Ano, said local government units should be quick to impose granular lockdown in areas where there are transmissions.”
Of course, we share the view of Ano, a former chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), that the people “have to live with the (dreaded) virus and move on.”
Instead of rushing the holding of F2F classes in this impoverished country, education authorities ought to fine-tune the current “blended or hybrid” form of learning.
The “blended” learning system combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with traditional place-based classroom methods.
“Huwag muna nating ibalik ang dating uri ng pagtuturo habang nandiyan pa ang COVID-19 at wala pang gamot sa nakamamatay na sakit,” said a mother of a Grade 1 pupil.
“Siguradong magkahawa-hawa ang mga bata dahil sabik silang maglaro kapag nasa labas na sila ng silid-aralan,” according to another worried mother.
At the same time, the authorities called on the people to comply with minimum health and safety standards, like wearing of masks and observance of social distancing.
In the interest of a healthy population, let’s support government efforts to stop the further spread of the virus.
