DepEd urged: Use classrooms as isolation facilities

League of Provinces of the Philippines president and Marinduque Governor Presbitero Velasco Jr. on Sunday has urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to use classrooms from lower-ranked provinces as temporary isolation facilities.

Velasco stressed that lower-ranked provinces have not enough isolation facilities for their coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases and funds are also not enough for them, thus the need to temporarily convert classrooms into isolation facilities.

This comes after more local government units (LGU) have opened their borders to visitors and travelers following national government’s decision allowing leisure travel for all ages in areas under general community quarantine as well as modified GCQ.

In a radio interview, Velasco reminded LGU to impose requirements for travelers such as negative Covid-19 test results to prevent an increase in infections amid detection of variants.

“We are being careful and it would be better if there is a requirement of RT/PCR and antigen test,” said Velasco, who also urged the national government to send more Covid-19 vaccines to provinces with high infection rates.