Four divisions in Central Visayas seek class suspension

CEBU, Philippines —  Four schools division in Central Visayas have suspended the holding of classes due to either a spike in COVID-19 cases or the effects of Typhoon Odette, or both.

However, the Department of Education-7 will not issue a memorandum suspending classes across Central Visayas due to either rising COVID-19 cases or the schools devastated by Typhoon Odette or both.

 “Dili ko mo-issue og memoradum suspending classes across the region kay dili man pud tanang lugar taas ilang COVID cases or nangagusbat gyud ilang nga eskwelahan. Mas maayo nga ang school division maoy mo request nga mag suspend sila unya supported by their respective local government unit,” DepEd-7 regional director Salustiano Jimenez told The Freeman yesterday.

So far, four divisions in the region have suspended or have requested the suspension of their classes. These are Bais City, Cebu City, Carcar City and Talisay City.

 “So far, kani pa sila ang naay request for suspension. Magpaabot ra ko kinsa pa ang mo-request,” Jimenez said.

Talisay City Mayor Gerard Anthony “Samsam” Gullas, in his Facebook post, said that based on his talk with the DepEd officials, they have decided that starting January 19, 2022 until January 28, 2022, all classes (whether modular or face-to-face) will be suspended due to the rise in Covid-19 cases in the city and the implementation of Alert Level 3 in the entire province.

 “Sa mga students nato, ayaw kabalaka, according to our DepEd superintendent, dili ibaylo ang inyong summer vacation sa mga na missed na adlaw ninyo because of the suspension of these school days,” the mayor said.

For private schools, Gullas said that he was giving private school administrators and officials the discretion to suspend their classes.

 “It will be up to them if they will suspend their classes or not,” the mayor added.

In Mandaue City, Atty. John Eddu Ibañez, the head of the city’a Public Information Office and executive assistant to the mayor, said that so far, there is no request on the part of the Mandaue Schools Division to cancel classes in public schools.

In Lapu-Lapu City, Mark Bautista, the city’s public information officer, said that he was informed by Dr. Ronald Ferrer, Administrative Officer V, DepEd Lapu-Lapu City, that there is no recommendation so far to suspend classes.

   But Ferrer said that according to Bautista, they are strictly implementing alternative working arrangements and 60 percent workforce in their offices. — JMD (FREEMAN)