Following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s executive order allowing the voluntary wearing of face masks indoors across the country on October 28, Department of Education (DepEd) also announced that schools will soon follow through.
Michael Poa, DepEd’s spokesperson said on Tuesday, November 1, that the agency will issue an amendatory department order on the said subject. In this regard, face masks will no longer be a requirement for students attending face-to-face classes.
Executive Order No. 7 allows the voluntary wearing of face masks in indoor and outdoor spaces while maintaining the minimum health protocols amid the COVID 19 pandemic.
The Executive Order states that wearing of masks is voluntary except:
- Healthcare facilities, including, but not limited to, clinics, hospitals, laboratories, nursing homes and dialysis clinics;
- Medical transport vehicles, such as ambulance and paramedic rescue vehicles;
- Public transportation by land, air or sea
Mask wearing is still encouraged for the following:
- Elderly
- Individuals with comorbidities
- Immunocompromised individuals
- Pregnant women
- Unvaccinated individuals
- Symptomatic individuals
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that the Executive Order is the nation’s step towards "normalization" and the full opening of the country's economy. In CNN Philippines’ The Final Word, Teachers' Dignity Coalition chairman Benjo Basas said, that in his own opinion, even though teachers are set to follow the executive order, he will still encourage his students to wear face masks for their safety.
Basas then mentioned that his basis for this is that classrooms in public schools are usually full and crowded. He said, "Hindi na tayo makakapag-physical distancing. Hindi na rin tayo makakapag-hugas ng kamay dahil most of our schools ay walang water and sanitation facilities na available. So ano na lang po proteksyon mga bata?"
He continued to share that as per the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition’s observation, classrooms in public schools have an average of 45 students per class, but some reach about 60 to 80 students. Without proper ventilation and sanitation, this can still be harmful for students.
On October 17, DepEd announced through Department Order No. 34 that all public schools shall have transitioned to 5 days face-to-face classes starting November 2.
With these recent announcements, it is expected that public schools will fully resume face-to-face classes while wearing of face masks is voluntary. DepEd will only allow certain exemptions to the full implementation of face-to-fce classes such as schools recently affected by natural disasters. DepEd regional directors have the discretion to allow distance learning based on the set criteria.
READ MORE RELATED ARTICLES ON F2F CLASSES:
- Here's How You Can Emotionally Support Your Tweens And Teens For F2F Classes
- DepEd: F2F Classes Required For Public Schools, But Private Schools Allowed To Continue Online Classes
- Validate Emotions, Establish A Routine, And More: How To Prepare Young Kids For Onsite Classes
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