UP Baguio, Cebu suspend face-to-face classes due to COVID-19

MANILA, Philippines — The University of the Philippines campuses in Baguio City (UPB) and Cebu suspended face-to-face classes this week due to a spike in COVID cases.

In a memorandum, UPB vice chancellor for academic affairs Rosemary Gutierrez said 21 COVID cases had been reported at the university as of April 29.

“All cases have been reported to the City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit. The infected individuals have been advised to undergo isolation for seven days and self-monitoring for close contacts,” read the memorandum.

“This is to allow those who have been exposed to the virus to complete their incubation period and prevent further transmission within the campus. We understand that this may inconvenience some of our students, but the safety of our community is our top priority,” the memo added.

Gutierrez advised UPB faculty members to prepare and deliver their asynchronous classes from May 2 to 5.

“Please observe all safety precautionary measures and avoid crowd-gathering activities during this time for a safer UPB campus,” she said.

The UPB library said it would implement limited face-to-face service during the period, with priority given to thesis writers.

UPB said Baguio is classified as “medium risk” for COVID, with an average one to seven new infections daily per 100,000 people.

Starting tomorrow, UP Cebu will shift to online classes amid the increasing cases of COVID on campus.

UP Cebu chancellor Leo Malagar said the transition to online instruction applies to all courses, except those requiring access to laboratories or studios and the high school program.

Malagar said the university would resume in-person classes on May 11.

UP Los Baños, meanwhile, said it would resume COVID booster vaccination as COVID cases continue to increase nationwide.

‘No return to blended learning’

The Department of Health (DOH) sees no need for the national government to impose mandatory implementation of blended learning amid a spike in COVID cases nationwide.

Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire, who chairs the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF), said at a press briefing on Tuesday that it is up to local government units (LGUs) and school officials to “assess if they can manage,” for example if students do not get infected despite rising cases.

Based on the recommendation of the IATF, Vergeire said LGUs or the schools have the authority to decide whether there is a need to transition to distance learning.

She said the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education have supervision over the schools.

The DepEd in Bicol region previously allowed schools to return to blended learning due to the increasing number of COVID cases.

Meanwhile, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian urged school administrators to implement blended learning to protect students from extreme heat.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on basic education, made the call after the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration issued an El Niño alert.

“It is the responsibility of school principals to ensure the welfare of our students,” he said.

Gatchalian also proposed to revert to the April to May summer break as the state weather bureau said El Niño may persist until 2024.

DepEd earlier reported that some schools have been implementing blended learning amid the extreme heat. – Mayen Jaymalin, Cecille Suerte Felipe