DepEd cool to implement early school Christmas break

MANILA, Philippines – Education Secretary Leonor Briones expressed reluctance to enforce an early Christmas break in public schools in a bid to help reduce traffic congestion during the holidays.

In a hearing of the Senate committee on education, Briones said such proposal would only disrupt preset school schedules and would not necessarily ease traffic.

The current school calendar, she cited, requires 202 school days, and Christmas break in public schools starts on Dec. 22 and ends on Jan. 2, 2017.

She said a professor of the University of the Philippines noticed that the “Christmas traffic” builds up even during school break.

“What I’m saying is that we have to look at the statistics and the projections as to the intensity, the acceleration of the build-up,” Briones said when Sen. Grace Poe asked her on the feasibility of the proposal. “Does it happen during the school season or is it still happening even after classes are already closed… because Christmas is what Christmas is.”

Briones said the schedule of periodical examinations must also be taken into account. 

She added the proposed extension of classes until summer to make up for the early Christmas vacation might run into the Holy Week break and the start of summer classes.

Briones said summer is also a time when heat-related diseases are prevalent.

“Right now, with the capacity of our school buildings, they are not the most comfortable and are not built for very, very hot summer days,” she said. “(That’s why) we usually don’t have classes during summer. I have visited classrooms which even now are extremely hot because of the size of the windows, and this affects the children’s learning capacity.”

However,  Briones promised the committee — chaired by Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV — that she would soon come up with a final decision on the early Christmas break proposal.

The  Senate committee on public services, chaired by Poe, is currently drafting a final version of the bill seeking to grant President Duterte emergency powers to deal with the traffic crisis.

Christmas traffic plan

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police  Highway Patrol Group (HPG) and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) have begun preparations to ease traffic during the Christmas holidays.

HPG chief Senior Supt. Antonio Gardiola said the deployment of more traffic policemen in Metro Manila is being planned..

Gardiola said at least three batches of MMDA constables have so far undergone training as the HPG mobilizes volunteers to help manage traffic in EDSA.

But he clarified that MMDA traffic constables who were hired on job orders could not apprehend and issue citation tickets, and their job would be limited to helping direct traffic on Metro Manila’s major roads.

The MMDA is now calibrating its radio equipment for better communication with the HPG, which will soon classify the metropolis’ major roads into sectors. 

Earlier, MMDA spokesperson Celina Pialago said clearing operations along the special Mabuhay Lanes would ensure the absence of obstruction along the designated alternate route.

Pialago also reminded motorists to park their vehicles in allowed areas, or they would pay towing fines at the MMDA compound. Their vehicles could also end up in Tarlac where the towing fine is at least P20,000.