Cavite governor: Will LGUs shoulder entire cost of modular learning program?

MANILA, Philippines — Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla lamented on Monday the province’s lack of funds to support the modular teaching and learning process under the blended learning system to be implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd) for the coming school year.

Remulla posted on Facebook an open letter directed to Education Secretary Leonor Briones, seeking clarification on the role of local government units in financially supporting the blended learning plan of DepEd.

“Dear Sec. Briones, please correct me if I am wrong. Sa ilalim ng plano na modular teaching/learning process ng DepEd, para sa 600,000 na mag-aaral ng Cavite, ay kailangan namin maghanda ng P5 bilyon para maipatupad ito,” the governor said.

(Dear Sec. Briones, please correct me if I am wrong. Under the plan of the modular teaching/learning process of DepEd, we will need P5 billion to implement it for the sake of 600,000 students in Cavite.)

“Ayon rin sa plano, ang DepEd national ay walang contribution para dito at ito ay 100% na papasanin ng LGU,” he also said.

(Also under the plan, DepEd has no contribution for this and this will be shouldered by the LGU at 100 percent.)

Cavite, however, only has a P4.7 billion budget for this year, according to Remulla.

He said that almost P1 billion was already spent for response efforts to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

P2.1 billion was allocated for the salary of government workers and for other operations of the province, while P1 billion is allotted for hospital expenses.

Aside from this, Cavite also has other programs for the 4.5 million residents in the province that likewise need funding, said Remulla.

“Sa Cavite pa lamang po ito. Paano pa po ang malalayo na lalawigan at syudad na mas menos ang kakayahan?” added the governor.

(This is just in Cavite. How about other provinces and cities with limited resources?)

“I am not a complainer. This week we will present our Cavite Educational Plan. It is our local solution to a NATIONAL problem. It is unfortunate that at the time of COVID, every Filipino student can study but only the rich get to learn,” Remulla also said.

gsg