2 key Iloilo officials oppose August opening of classes

ILOILO CITY – Mayor Jerry Treñas of Iloilo City and Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. of Iloilo province are not in favor of the opening of classes this August because of the continuing threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“I am not encouraging children to go back to school and their parents should not be forced. What is one year they cannot go back? The virus is still there,” Treñas expressed.

“If it was me, I will forego [school year] 2020. Let us focus on surviving,” echoed Defensor, who was worried for the safety of children in the province’s 42 towns and a component city.

Parents and their children are facing a tough choice on whether or not to enroll for school year 2020-2021, which has been slated to start in the last week of August.

The Department of Education (DepEd) announced that classes for elementary and high school levels can start by August while the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was proposing for on-site classes for college by September.

But both Treñas and Defensor pointed out that it wouldbe a big risk to allow children to go back to school when it will be very hard to implement physical distancing with so many people in one area gathered at once.

Treñas said the school setting can trigger a big wave of infection, while Defensor reiterated that there was also the danger of asymptomatic individuals who can pass on COVID-19 to those who have pre-existing health conditions, especially if they live in the same household.

As the regional capital of Western, Iloilo City is host to several major educational institutions.