THE Department of Education, in cooperation with other government agencies, will launch today, Monday, the Oplan Balik Eskwela (OBE) Command Center in preparation for the opening of classes on Aug. 22.
DepEd spokesperson Michael Tan Poa said 17 government agencies such as the Departments of Health, Interior and Local Government, Social Welfare and Development, National Defense, Public Works and Highways, Transportation, Energy, Trade and Industry as well as the Information Communication and Technology will be represented in the Command Center.
The Office of the President, National Telecommunications Commission, Manila Electric Company, Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, and the PNP will also send representatives to the OBE.
“We would like to announce that we will launch the Oplan Balik Eskwela Command Center on August 15. It will be held at the Bulwagan ng Karunungan in which several agencies of the government who will help us in our preparation for the school opening will be represented,” said Poa.
Poa said the DepEd, under Vice President Sara Duterte, met with the members of the OBE Inter-Agency Convergence last July 29 and discussed preparations to ensure the smooth opening of classes.
Aside from the OBE, Poa said the DepEd will also start today the operation of its Public Assistance Command Center at the department’s main office in Pasig City.
“This will accept concerns, complaints and information from all education stakeholders regarding enrollment and other issues related to the preparation for the school opening,” Poa said.
He said Duterte also directed regional and school division offices nationwide to set up their respective Public Affairs Units to deal with public complaints and concerns. He said the public may send their complaints and concerns through this unit through hotlines, emails, text messaging service, social media, and letter endorsements.
“We know that the opening of classes will not be without challenges. That is why we are hoping that we will be working as one here, in cooperation with other government agencies,” Poa said.
The OBE will be headed by DepEd Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Epimaco Densing III and Undersecretary for Governance and Field Operations Revsee Escobedo. Poa will also serve as vice chair of the OBE.
The DepEd said that as of Aug. 12, it has recorded 19,819,047 enrollees, or about 71.91 percent of the total number of enrollees last year. The DepEd has set a target of 28.6 million enrollees from kindergarten to senior high school this school year.
