SENATOR PIA CAYETANO'S INTERJECTION DURING THE SENATE BUDGET HEARING FOR DEPED &; ITS ATTACHED AGENCIES ON FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING

I'd also like to weigh in on that issue you brought up [Sen. Win Gatchalian]. I think in your own hearings in the Committee on Basic Ed, and Sec. Liling was also there a couple of times... I also shared my concerns about the need to start planning, and even seriously recommending and considering limited, very limited and specifically designed face to face with staggered presence. In far flung areas, COVID didn't even start in those areas. This is the one time that they will even be given an advantage. Sila pa nga yung pwedeng magkaroon ng access to their teachers because they are not as exposed to COVID. So pareho tayo ng thinking, Sen. Sherwin, and let's discuss this further with the Secretary because there really are areas that could probably start proceeding with caution and with proper planning.

Actually, Sen. Sherwin, in those areas, the teachers actually live there. Even here in my city, in your city, the teachers mostly come from our area. So what more in the province, they really live there. And I was telling Secretary Liling in our briefing, in the mountains I visited that are inaccessible by car, I can only go there by foot or by bike because it's just a trail, a car won't fit. The teacher lives there. What's the difference between her teaching them, going house-to-house with them or accommodating them a few at a time with proper guidelines?

I don't believe we have to have a one-size-fits-all solution because there are really areas that can start really moving on this... I just had to mention that because you mentioned the para teachers. I'm just saying that the teachers are actually there. So whether it's assistant teachers, parent volunteers, whether face-to-face or not, they're always welcome naman to help, we always need more help.