Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte called on DepEd and private school administrators to keep students at home during class hours.
Davao City Mayor calls out educational institutions
With the recent rise of COVID-19 cases in the province, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte is trying to employ certain restrictions to limit the movement of Davao City residents. Among these restrictions target students loitering around the city despite having to be at home for their blended learning classes. Duterte calls out the Department of Education and private school administrators to come up with a monitoring system that will keep students at home during class hours, to inhibit them from loitering around.
The city is under a liquor ban which only allows people to purchase liquor between 5 AM to 7 PM. That being said, some senior high schools (of legal age) are being spotted to have been into small gatherings and gimmicks earlier in the day due to the liquor ban. The Mayor stresses out that these students should be at home doing their blended learning lessons since weekdays from 7 AM to 4 PM are considered class hours based on the DepEd’s class schedules.
The Davao City Mayor reminded DepEd and parents that alternative learning modules were given to keep students (especially minors) at home and far from the transmission of the virus as possible. The city government is trying to let the proper agencies handle the situation. Currently, there is a city ordinance prohibiting minors and ages 65 and above inside public establishments such as shopping malls and other leisure activities.
In a statement by Mayor Sara Duterete in her online radio program, she said:
I am very disappointed to see minors loitering around and hanging out with friends during supposed to be class hours intended for blended learning. Local transmission is rising in the city and these unnecessary movement of these minors is a clear violation of the quarantine quidlines for COVID-19. I really hope DepEd acts upon this with urgency.
Currently, Davao City is under a curfew which is scheduled at 7 PM to 5 AM, only essential services and accredited work shifts are allowed during curfew schedules. If the students still continue loitering during class hours, a city ordinance might come in handy to regulate them more effectively.
