Vice President Leni Robredo on Sunday relayed concerns of teachers on the upcoming resumption of classes, contrary to government’s claim that they are ready and capacitated.
Robredo said she spoke to a group of teachers last Friday and promised she would forward their concerns to the Duterte administration in a formal letter.
“Iyong sa kanila, iyong kanilang proteksyon ay laban sa sakit. Papaano? Humihiling sila na sana man lang ma-test sila,” she said in her weekly radio show.
[Their concern is their protection against the disease. They want to be tested.]
“Humihiling sila ng regular medical check-up, humihiling sila na siguraduhin lang na habang nagre-render sila ng service, protektado. Tapos iyong sa kanila din iyong pakiusap na sana hindi sila i-require na nagha-house visits kasi ang laki din ng risk. Ang laki ng risk sa kanila.”
[They’re asking for regular medical check-up and the assurance that they’re protected as they render their service. They also appealed to government not to require them to conduct house visits because it increases their risk of contracting the virus.]
Robredo called on the national government and the Education department to listen to the teachers’ concern as they will be the ones who will be at the frontline.
“Sana matingnan ito kasi habang namumrublema iyong mga teachers natin sa ganito, iyong mga bata iyong… iyong mga bata iyong ultimately magsa-suffer noong consequence,” she said.
[I hope this would be looked into because if our teachers face problems like these, the children will ultimately suffer the consequence.]
“Kasi parang masama iyong loob nila kapag napapanood nila iyong mga DepEd officials kapag sinasabing, ‘readyng ready na; wala nang problema,’ kasi ang feeling nila nakakalimutan na mayroon sa kanilang hindi handa. So ito iyong ipapakiusap natin.”
[The teachers seem dismayed when DepEd officials say they are ready for the opening of classes because the teachers feel those who are not ready are being overlooked. This is our plead to government.]
