TWENTY-one mayors suspended the school opening in their respective areas to Oct. 4 or until further notice, due to spike of COVID cases.

The mayors, namely, Mayors Julier Resuello (San Carlos City), Julio Parayno III (Urdaneta City), Roland Sagles (Aguilar), Jojo Callejo (Alcala), Joganie Rarang (Anda), Ramon Guico Jr. (Binalonan), Simplicio Rosario (Binmaley), Priscilla Espino (Bugallon), Joseph Arman Bauzon (Calasiao), Noel Anthony Geslani (Malasiqui), Mary Marilyn Lambino (Mangaldan),  Ramil Ventanilla (Mangatarem), Anthony Penuliar (Mapandan), Constante Agbayani (San Fabian), Leo de Vera (San Jacinto), Joel Delos Santos (Sta. Barbara), Susan Pagador-Casareno (Rosales), Martin Raul Sison II (Urbiztondo) and Nonato Abrenica (Villasis) followed suit the action taken by Dagupan City Mayor Brian Lim.

Manaoaag Mayor Kim Mikael Amador ordered the suspension of school opening in Manaoag to Sept. 20 only unless lifted sooner or deferred further.

Sison Mayor Danilo Uy requested DepEd to temporarily suspend all school activities in his town for at least two months, from Sept. 13 to Nov. 13 owing to the COVID surge.

Uy wrote Schools Division Superintendent Danilo Sison of Pangasinan Division II on Sept. 13 to inform him that as of Sept. 13, the town had 586 total cases with about 98 active cases, a situation significantly higher compared to last month.

Lingayen Mayor Leopoldo Bataoil, president of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines (Pangasinan chapter) did not join the move.

In a statement Sunday night, he posted on the town’s official Facebook page, Bataoil said he consulted DepEd Region 1 Director Tolentino Aquino regarding the appeal of teachers, principals and parents to suspend the scheduled school opening last Wednesday, September 15, and he was told only Malacañang has the sole authority to postpone the opening of classes.

Bataoil instead advised his constituents to heed the order to start classes as scheduled but to exercise caution and safety in their respective schools by following existing minimum health protocols.

He said he supports the directive issued by the Schools Division Office:

1) To exercise prudence (caution or circumspect as to danger or risk) whether or not teachers should physically report. As a general rule, teachers should be on a WFH modality and will only be required to report physically if they have essential tasks to perform in the school which cannot be done at home;

2) To devise and strategize on how SLMs can be distributed posting minimal or no risk to our teachers and parents;

3) To make a balance decision anchored on sound judgment, the continuity of school operations and safeguarding the safety of personnel under your care. (Eva Visperas)

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