MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) said Friday it will be allowing schools to decide whether or not to hold graduation rites and moving-up ceremonies amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis now gripping the country.
According to DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla, graduation rites set for April 3 have already been called off but schools may reschedule or forgo the ceremonies depending on the results of consultation with parents and on the public health situation.
“Sa graduation rites, hindi na natin itutuloy ng April 3, alam naman po natin ang sitwasyon. Pwedeng pong i-reschedule at pwede ring pong hindi na ituloy or i-forgo, kailangan lamang pong ikonsulta sa mga magulang,” Sevilla said in a “public” briefing aired over state-run PTV.
President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered that the entire island of Luzon be placed under lockdown until April 13, forcing more than 50 million Filipinos to observe home quarantine and suspending public transportation.
Classes in all levels and school activities across Luzon were also suspended during the month-long Luzon-wide quarantine.
To date, the Philippines has 707 confirmed COVID-19 cases, 45 of whom have died while 28 have recovered. The cases were confirmed in the course of 2,147 tests.