MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo lamented on Sunday that the COVID-19 pandemic response before the Delta variant entered the country was a “missed opportunity” for learning.
“‘Yung nakalipas na isa’t kalahating taon, missed opportunity ‘yun. ‘Yung wala pa ‘yung Delta variant, sobrang daming LGU all over the Philippines ‘yung wala namang cases,” Robredo said during the BISErbisyong Leni program.
(The past one and a half years, that’s a missed opportunity. When the Delta variant has not entered the country yet, many LGUs nationwide had no cases.)
The vice president also noted that the lack of education will affect the future generation of children, especially those in the vulnerable sector.
“‘Pag hindi ma-educate lalo na ‘yung mga mahihirap, wala masyadong access, malalayo, intergenerational ito. ‘Pag hindi sila nakaaral pati ‘yung magiging anak nila damay,” Robredo expounded.
(If they won’t be educated, especially the poor, those with no access or live in far-flung areas, the effect will be intergenerational. If they cannot study, their future children would be affected.)
Robredo also said that she was frustrated with the failure to conduct classes, recalling that they have put up community learning hubs in 58 areas, serving around 4,000 children.
“Ngayon, bumabalik na sa’min ‘yung results ng community learning hubs namin na ganitong number ng mga bata ‘yung natuto na magbasa dahil sa community learning hubs,” she shared, adding that she was saddened for those who had no access to learning.
(Now, we have the results of our community learning hubs that showed a number of children have learned to read through the community learning hubs.)
Robredo, moreover, said that some government decisions were politicized.
“Naalala ko nung meron na sana kaming nakakasa na several dito sa Metro Manila, nung nagsalita si Presidente [Rodrigo Duterte], mayroong isang LGU na umayaw, three to four community learning hubs sana ‘yung ilalagay namin dun,” she lamented, adding that the move would have been fine if an alternative mode of learning was put up in the LGU.
(I remember we were supposed to set up several community learning hubs in Metro Manila. But, when President Duterte spoke, one local government where we were supposed to put up three to four hubs suddenly backed out.)
However, with the current threat of the more infectious Delta variant, Robredo agrees that in-person classes must not be conducted.
The United Nations Children’s Fund on Wednesday reported that the Philippines is among the only five countries worldwide who have not resumed face-to-face classes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
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