THE Department of Education yesterday asked local government units to clear out COVID-19 isolation tents in schools in their respective areas in preparation for the opening of classes on August 22.
“We have issued directives to LGUs, especially in the National Capital Region, to pull out isolation tents in schools,” DepEd spokesperson Michael Tan Poa said in a press briefing.
“They have committed to remove these isolation tents.”
Poa, however, said they have yet to determine how many schools are being used as COVID-19 isolation centers, adding they have asked the DepEd Central Office to ask their regional offices to submit the data.
Poa also said the DepEd is coordinating with LGUs in earthquake-hit areas in Abra and other parts of northern Luzon to set up temporary learning spaces as the government pushes through with the repairs of damaged school buildings.
“We are coordinating with LGUs in the affected areas if they have open spaces like basketball courts that can also be used as temporary learning spaces,” Poa said, adding they are also appealing to the private sector for assistance.
“We are looking at the immediate construction of TLS but the number of damaged schools keeps on varying and we are assessing the situation in the quake-hit areas,” Poa said.
Last Wednesday, Poa said the DepEd needs P16 billion to repair classrooms and other school facilities damaged by typhoons Agaton and Odette last year and P1.7 billion for repairs in earthquake-ravaged areas.
The DepEd stood firm on its 2023 budget request of over P800 billion after its proposed outlay was trimmed by the Department of Budget and Management to just P701 billion.
Poa said the department has to play catch up in such areas like the construction of school buildings and other facilities.
“We are standing firm on our budget proposal. We are appealing to the DBM on this matter,” he added.
Poa said the DepEd leadership under Vice President and concurrent Education Secretary Sara Duterte Carpio is prepared to talk to Congress regarding their budget request.
The funding, if granted, would be a huge leap from this year’s P631.77 billion funding. In 2021, the DepEd budget amounted to P594.11 billion.
Earlier, DepEd Undersecretary Epimaco Densing said a big chunk of the proposed 2023 budget would go to teachers’ compensation.
