Punchline
Failed distance learning because of internet
By Ermin Garcia Jr.
THE dreaded opening of public schools on October 5 is leaving many families anxious.
Some families still don’t have tablets, and even if they do, they don’t know how long their prepaid internet cards can last their children. Imagine a family of 3 kids in high school and primary grades. Will their prepaid cards and basic tablets cope with weak internet connection?
I have no doubt, deep frustrations will affect thousands of families the whole week. I will not be surprised if more than 10% of enrolled students will decide to drop out in view of their financial constraints.
What is largely unsuspected by the business sector is that their own access to internet will be seriously impaired during the day, and night when parents review the modules with their kids. So, imagine new and additional 10,000 students logging on for their lessons, that’s 10,000 more competing for access in limited bandwidths in barangays.
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SUBSIDY FOR PARENTS. I seriously don’t know how present infrastructure can mitigate the situation even for the business sector. But the more pressing situation is for most parents, coping with costs of internet access.
In this regard, I dare to suggest to internet providers and in Pangasinan to consider a special program to help families cope with the burden to distance learning.
First, internet providers should introduce subsidized rates for children’s access to internet. This can be done in collaboration with more affluent civic clubs in their towns. Second, the internet providers will deal directly with civic clubs that will prepay internet cards at subsidized rates.
Third, civic clubs in turn will serve and sell the discounted cards only to bona fide students in their neighborhoods with limited quantities each time. (School IDs should be presented to qualify for the subsidized cards). Fourth, the civic clubs can authorize trusted stores as outlets for the subsidized cards.
Globe, Smart and Sun can also consider selling discounted portable WI-FI modems to families with more than 1 student at home.
Meanwhile, perhaps USATV can consider extending discounts to subscribers in residences with children enrolled in schools. The discount can help families absorb costs of additional tablets for their children.
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NEW PROTOCOL IN DAGUPAN. The new initiative launched by the Dagupan City government to contain the COVID-19 contagion is long overdue, but better late than never.
While it has to be done, the timing could not come at a worse time when signs of local economy picking up are there. But the fact that there is a surge in cases in the city cannot be denied, and the higher it goes, more residents will go on voluntary quarantine… and there goes the city’s economy, back to the doldrums again.
The new protocol requiring registration of visitors and returning residents will, without a doubt, impact on flow of people into the city. It is imperative therefore, for the city to devise an operational plan that will have the least inconvenience to people entering the city.
The city planners should consider setting up two checkpoints 100 meters apart. The first should handle distribution of small info sheet that will detail full name, age and mobile number of driver and passengers, and plate number of vehicle; and to make sure that everyone is wearing a mask. (The accomplished forms are to be submitted to next checkpoint and allow vehicle to pass quickly).
The second checkpoint will have designated encoders and callers to dial the registered numbers with text message to remind them to register online. (Fake numbers submitted should be traced to vehicles when detected in the city or at exit checkpoint and be made accountable to produce the right mobile numbers).
The worst thing that can happen is to have one checkpoint distributing info sheet while checking accomplished forms. Imagine the impact of 10 (cars, jeepneys, tricycles) regularly passing the city borders every minute.
But still the most effective preventive measure to contain the spread of virus is to designate protocol marshals in all barangays to oversee strict implementation of wearing masks and observance of social distancing everywhere.
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BLACK OPS AND HUBRIS. The brouhaha last week over the Speakership post at the House of Representatives brought to fore machinations via black propaganda launched two weeks ago by the camp of ex-presumptive Speaker Lord Allan Velasco (LAV) of Marinduque to wrest the post from Speaker Alan S. Cayetano (ASC) by “crook or by crook” mid-September.
Mr. Velasco’s playbook was to discredit and stigmatize Mr. ASC as a “man without palabra de honor” so the latter won’t be able to stand up with his integrity intact for the term-sharing. His objective: Mr. ASC must walk away from the HOR completely ostracized.
To lay the basis for the name-calling, he made the claim that the turnover per the term-sharing agreement was Sep 30 (even knowing earliest turnover can only be after October 22). The black ops in social media was so spirited that it quickly earned some traction until accusing Mr. ASC of being shrewd, arrogant politician and a man not to be trusted.
Throughout, Mr. ASC kept himself busy with the preparation and coordination for the 2012 budget at the HOR and ignored Mr. LAV’s machinations outside the Batasan halls. When the Speaker was not reacting, Cong. Teves went to media to point to the “enormous pork barrel” reserved for the districts of Cong. LRay Villafuerte and Mr. ASC. Unfortunately for Messrs. LAV and Teves, the attempt to derail the budget hearings fell on deaf ears inside HOR.
Fearing that Mr. LAV didn’t have the support of the majority, he decided to force the hand of PRRD as the broker of the term-sharing. PRRD said he saw nothing that would get in the way of the term-sharing. Buoyed by the statement of PRRD, he intensified the black ops! That’s when the majority block that was busy putting the budget together, decided to counter Mr. LAV ‘s mudslinging. A manifesto of support for Mr. ASC was circulated and after two days, it earned 202 signatures.
At the meeting finally with PRRD that Mr. LAV managed to arrange, both PRRD and Mr. ASC posed no objection to Mr. LAV’s claim for implementation of the term-sharing. PRRD only asked that the turnover be made on December and explained that he wanted to be sure that the 2012 budget will be passed before January 2021. Mr. LAV rejected the President’s request. The meeting ended with directive from PRRD that Mr. Cayetano will announce the results of the meeting. But Mr. Velasco thought otherwise, he circulated the news that he would be the next Speaker before everyone could left the Palace grounds.
On September 30, Mr. ASC decided to end Mr. LAV’s machinations and offered to resign so Mr. LAV can work on the budget as he said he could do without Mr. ASC. But Mr. LAV backed down and claimed that the turnover would be on October 14, not September 30. Naturally, the majority block stood by Mr. ASC.
That same evening, PRRD announced through Spox Harry Roque that he will not interfere any further in the affairs of the HOR, that he will respect the sentiment of the majority to keep Spkr ASC in spite of the term-sharing.
The black propaganda and hubris boomeranged.
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