Eleazar pushes jabs for students

MANILA, Philippines — Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and senatorial candidate Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to ensure a higher vaccination rate among students and teachers amid the possibility that more face-to-face classes would be allowed for the academic year 2022-2023.

According to DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan, the next administration will decide as to when the next academic year will begin, and there were also plans to have more schools allow the conduct of face-to-face classes.

“I call on the DepEd to ensure a high vaccination rate for students,” he said. “Siguraduhing mataas ang vaccination rate at marami na ang nabakunahan sa mga estudyante at guro laban sa COVID-19 bago simulan ang school year 2022-2023.”

Eleazar said the DepEd has a significant role in encouraging those who are still hesitant to avail anti-COVID shots.

The DepEd has said a total of 6,925 schools across the Philippines were ready to participate in the “progressive expansion” phase of face-to-face classes amid the health crisis.

According to the agency, there is no COVID-19 infection recorded in schools amid the conduct of face-to-face classes in all the schools that were allowed to do so.