Protests, rising tempers mar opening of classes

NO PARENTS ALLOWED A policeman secures the steel gate of Dalahican Elementary School in Lucena City after its principal prevented parents from escorting their children to the classrooms. DELFIN MALLARI, JR. / INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

Protests and frayed tempers were reported in scattered areas, but the Philippine National Police said the opening of classes on Monday was generally peaceful.

Senior Superintendent Generoso Cerbo Jr. said the PNP National Operations Center had received no reports of untoward incidents from field units across the country as of midday, and that it expected the situation to remain orderly for the rest of the week.

“At this point I can tell you that it is really peaceful, not just relatively peaceful. And we expect this to continue not only today but in the days that follow,” the PNP spokesperson told reporters at Camp Crame.

Around 30 youths protesting the implementation of the K to 12 basic education curriculum amid shortages in classrooms and teachers held a lightning rally at the Iloilo City campus of the University of the Philippines Visayas in the morning.

The protesters then held mobile rallies in front of John B. Lacson Colleges Foundation, University of San Agustin, University of Iloilo and Central Philippine University in Iloilo City.

The protests ended in the afternoon with a rally joined by around 50 protesters at the regional office of the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) in Jaro.

In Lucena City,  a huge crowd of irate parents, with their young children in tow, milled in front of a public elementary school here, forcing police to intervene, after the school principal tried to break the old practice of allowing parents to accompany young children to their classrooms on the first day of classes.

Policemen, including those from the city’s SWAT team,  deployed outside and inside the school grounds when outraged parents planted themselves outside the locked steel gate of Dalahican Elementary School, refusing to budge and loudly questioning the policy imposed by the school principal, Marieta Altes.

“Why would the school prevent us from escorting our young kids to their classrooms? My girl is afraid because she is a complete stranger inside the vast compound,” an upset mother said as her child, a Grade 1 pupil, who was apparently afraid, cried and held on to her skirt.

Under the watchful eyes of policemen, the parents were eventually allowed to escort their children to locate their rooms. But they were not allowed to stay inside the classrooms. With reports from DJ Yap in Manila; Nestor Burgos Jr., Joey Gabieta and Jani Arnaiz, Inquirer Visayas; and Delfin T. Mallari Jr., Inquirer Southern Luzon