Passenger Forum: Fix public transport before resuming face-to-face classes

Public transportation in metropolitan areas across the country is not yet prepared for the full resumption of face-to-face classes, transport advocacy network The Passenger Forum (TPF) said over the weekend.

In a statement released Sunday, TPF Convener Primo Morillo said the government first needs to address the infrastructure problems before transitioning back to a full face-to-face program.

“While we understand that many sectors are already calling for a return to face-to-face classes, we are just saying that the government should be wary of the additional demand to our already heavily burdened public transport system,” he said.

“This problem needs to be addressed for us to successfully phase back into normal classroom-based education,” he added.

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has yet to comment on the matter.

However, National Parent-Teacher Association Philippines (PTA) said it still supported the resumption of face-to-face classes.

Citing results of an online survey the group conducted, PTA president Willy Rodriguez pointed out that 100% of the respondents wanted a resumption of the in-person classes both in private and public schools.

Likewise, the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) appealed to the government to expedite the go-signal for the resumption of physical classes in private schools.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. last week said the Department of Education — headed by Vice President Sara Duterte — is looking to start face-to-face classes in some schools by September, and fully transition by November.

The economic cluster has long been pushing for face-to-face classes to resume, with studies by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) showing that this would add P12 billion per week to the economy.

Former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua also noted that the economy lost P22 trillion during the two years the country stopped face-to-face learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

TPF’s Morillo warned, however, that the government should at least provide some immediate relief for commuters.

“One of the reasons why students and teachers want a shift to face-to-face is due to the stress they get from online classes,” he said.

“Their stress will just shift from in front of their laptops to our sidewalks and PUVs if we ignore the connection between the transport crisis and our target to return to F2F. Worse, physical fatigue will add to the mental exhaustion of our students and teachers,” Morillo said.

Aside from the traffic, commuters will also have to pay more given the jeepney fare hike approved by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) last month. — DVM, GMA News