Bongbong Marcos: Gov’t studying bid to reinstate March as school vacation month

President Fedinand ‘Bongbong’ Macos, Jr. | PHOTO: Official facebook page of Bongbong Marcos and AFP

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said the government is studying the proposal to return to the previous March school vacation schedule.

The school vacation was moved from June to July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Pinag-aaralan natin ng mabuti ‘yan dahil nga marami ngang nagsasabi pwede na, tapos na ‘yung lockdown. Karamihan na ng eskwela, face-to-face na, kaunti na lang ‘yung hindi na,” Marcos said in a radio interview with Erwin Tulfo, former secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

(We are thoroughly studying that because many people suggest that because the lockdown is already over and most schools are already implementing face-to-face classes.)

“‘Yung ating ginagawa na sistema na hybrid system na mayroong may pumapasok, mayroong nagzu-Zoom o kung anong klaseng pag-promote na pag-attendance, ay lahat gusto talaga na makapag-attend dahil iba talaga ‘yan,” he added.

(The system we are implementing, which is the hybrid system where some are online and others are physically attending classes, means there are a lot of students who really want to attend class.)

Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who heads the Senate basic education committee, earlier proposed that school vacation be moved back to April and May, saying it is the best time for students to go out and spend time with their families “as opposed to the rainy season.”

After students from a school in Cabuyao City were hospitalized from exhaustion and dehydration sustained during fire and earthquake drills, he was also asked to keep the original school vacation month.

READ: Gatchalian says time to bring back April-May school ‘summer’ break

Marcos, however, said that the rise of COVID-19 cases in some areas should also be considered before deciding to move the school vacation period.

According to Marcos, the World Health Organization still considers the coronavirus a health emergency.

kga/abc