Palace: ‘Good idea’ to use ABS-CBN frequencies for distance learning

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang on Thursday welcomed the idea to use media giant ABS-CBN’s frequencies for distance learning amid the pandemic, but said that the decision would lie on the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd).

After the network was denied a new franchise, Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte proposed using ABS-CBN’s television and radio frequencies in aiding the education system amid the pandemic.

ABS-CBN has been off the air since May 5.

“It’s a good idea but the decision must be made by the (DepEd) Secretary (Leonor) Briones and (CHEd) Chairman Popoy (De Vera),” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in an online briefing.

Roque, in an earlier interview over CNN Philippines, said the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) can decide on how the network’s frequencies will be used.

“I think it can be — it can now be awarded by the NTC. That’s the function of the NTC and we leave it to the NTC what will happen to the frequency,” he said.

In light of the COVID-19 health crisis, “blended learning” will be implemented in classes where learning modules, television, radio, and the internet are utilized as media of instruction.

President Rodrigo Duterte himself rejected allowing the resumption of physical classes until a vaccine against the COVID-19 becomes available.

However, there are proposals to conduct limited face-to-face classes in areas under the most lenient lockdown measure or modified general community quarantine.

EDV