Senate asks gov’t to allow limited physical classes

The Philippine Senate approved a resolution on Monday asking the government to start limited face-to-face classes in over a thousand public schools amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III said not all households have internet and gadgets for online classes, which would prevent gaps and remove inequality between rich and poor students.

Seven senators who filed the measure said prolonged school closures have affected students, especially those from poor families, and that a trial run in 1,065 schools in low-risk areas should start to minimize adverse social, developmental, and health costs.

The resolution calls for feeding programs to be resumed to ease the effects of the pandemic on poor students and their families.