Holy Cross College is prioritizing the health and safety of its students and employees. School president Atty. Dennis C. Pangan sent this message to parents, students and faculty members of the Integrated Basic Education Department, September 10 during the orientation on the ESC grant for junior high school students.
Pangan cited reports on the support of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) of the resumption of face-to-face classes. According to the NEDA, doing so would help the economy because those in the lower age bracket would be allowed outside their residence. The school president said he disagrees with the NEDA’s suggestion.
“Mas inuuna pa nilang iniisip ‘yung ekonomiya ng bansa. Hindi ba nila naisip na ‘pag sinugal natin ang buhay ng mga batang ito, mas malala ang mangyayari sa atin?,” Pangan pointed out. For this year, HCC will not be implementing physical classes for the IBED and senior high school department. However, the school is already preparing for possible limited face-to-face classes in the future for select college programs with laboratory subjects that require hands-on instruction.
Virginia Muldong, the president of the IBED and Senior High School Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) said they agree with Pangan. Sending out children is not a risk she is willing to take as a guardian, she said.
In an interview, Muldong stated, “No face-to-face [classes] hangga’t walang vaccine.” To date, the Philippines has not given a go-signal to vaccinate minors.
The PTA president is a guardian to a Grade 10 student in HCC. According to her, apart from the obvious risk of Covid-19, it would be more difficult to guide the kids outside of their homes during these uncertain times.
She said parent representatives have previously met with the Pangan early August to talk about the possible resumption of face-to-face classes in HCC. The school administrators and the PTA concurred physical classes are a no-go for now.
Currently, only a handful of employees report physically at the school. Students and parents are also not allowed inside the campus. A make-shift transaction area was placed just near the school gate to ensure the safety of parents, employees, and students with official business on the HCC grounds.
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Holy Cross College is the leading higher educational institution in the eastern part of Pampanga.
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