Senate approves bill to authorize Duterte to postpone school opening



Photo from Manila Bulletin


Due to the uncertainties brought by the pandemic in the country, the Senate unanimously on Monday approved on third and final reading a bill which seeks to give President Rodrigo Duterte the power to postpone the opening of classes later than August.

Twenty-three of the senators approved Senate Bill No. 1541 during Monday’s session, two days before the congressional break.



“The school year shall start on the first Monday of June but not later than the last day of August: Provided that in the event of a declaration of a state of emergency or state of calamity, the President, upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Education, may set a different date for the start of the school year,” read the bill.

Under the said bill, the President, with the recommendation of the Department of Education, may set a different date to start the classes nationwide or in some parts of the country.

Earlier, the president has expressed his disapproval to open the classes until the vaccine for coronavirus is available because of the great risk for the children.

“Unless I am sure that they are really safe, it’s useless to be talking about opening of classes,” said the President



“For me, vaccine first. If the vaccine is already there, then it’s OK,” he added. “If no one graduates, then so be it.” Duterte added

Meanwhile, for its part, the Department of Education also express no opposition in the said discretion.

“We have welcomed the expansion-- the discretion on the school opening, including especially in times of crisis like this," said DepEd Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan in a press briefing.

“If it is to give the DOH (Department of Health), the executive, or the President broader discretion in times of emergencies like these, we express no opposition to that,” Malaluan added

A similar bill filed at the House of Representative has also been approved on second reading.

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