Marcos: Schools must open on July 29 as much as possible

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said on Friday that the July 29 opening of classes must proceed as much as possible, save for areas heavily damaged by Super Typhoon Carina and the Southwest Monsoon.

“As much as possible... hangga’t maaari... if the school buildings are in a condition to conduct classes, they will [have to] do it. Pero meron pa talaga na kakaunti na lang yung may tubig pero marami [pang] naiwan na putik, hindi magamit,” Marcos told reporters as he visited flood victims in Rizal.

(Some schools are still covered in mud and remain unusable.)

“Gawin niyo ang lahat. Buksan ninyo. Ang pagpasok, gawin nyo hangga’t maaari, kung kaya niyong buksan. Hangga’t maaari, open the schools and conduct classes,” he added, referring to the Department of Education (DepEd).

(You have to do everything you can. Open it if you are able.)

Marcos said the Education Department, led by the newly appointed former Senator Sonny Angara, should be able to figure out the middle ground since schools have not returned to full-time, face-to-face classes since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“May nasira na [mga] gamit, and we'd have to replace them. So yes, as much as possible, it will be up to the school to decide, kung kaya [nila magbukas] o hindi. Siguro ‘yung iba, mapipilitan. They will [have to] conduct classes outside of the school building, makapag klase lang,” he added.

(We'll have to replace certain school facilities, but there will be schools that will have to hold classes outside of classrooms.)

“Tingnan natin. Nasanay na tayo sa pandemic [na dapat] hahanapan natin ng paraan para magkaroon pa rin ng klase. Although there are areas na hindi talaga puwede,” Marcos added.

(We'll see. This is what happened during the pandemic: we try to look for ways to conduct classes regardless of the circumstance. But there are areas where school openings, as scheduled, are not possible.)

Later in the day, the Department of Education said at least 738 schools in four regions are set to postpone the opening of classes due to the onslaught of Super Typhoon Carina which enhanced Southwest Monsoon or Habagat.

During his third State of the Nation Address last July 22, the President tasked the DepEd to begin a massive learning recovery program, given Filipino learners' dismal scores in recent assessment tests. — DVM, GMA Integrated News