Many students were absent

CEBU, Philippines - Classes in public schools resumed yesterday, but the Department of Education-Cebu City Division noted a low turnout of students.

This came after the non-declaration of November 2, All Souls’ Day, as a holiday. Under Proclamation 831, only November 1 or All Saints’ Day is a special nonworking day.

Danilo Gudelosao, Assistant Schools Division Superintendent of DepEd- Cebu City, said only around 50 percent or 85,000 of the total 171,400 student population, including kindergarten and night high school, attended classes.

Gudelosao said they already anticipated this would occur, but said they have no hold over it. He said teachers and students not present yesterday were automatically marked absent.

“We are bound to follow the official school calendar,” he said.

DepEd Order 9 dated April 1, 2015 provides the calendar of activities indicating the resumption of classes on November 2. It stipulates that classes must consist of 201 class days.

DepEd supervises classes in the pre-school, elementary and high school levels.

However, he said private schools have the discretion to schedule their own resumption of classes.

Waste of time

Anabelle dela Cerna, Teachers’ Dignity Coalition vice chairwoman for the Visayas, said they were dismayed over the government’s decision to declare All Souls’ Day as a working day.

She said teachers reported to their assignments but students opted not to attend classes as they paid tribute to their departed loved ones.

“It was a waste of time and effort on the part of the teachers. Today (yesterday) should be the day to remember and visit our departed relatives,” she said.

She said compliance to the number of required school days should not be the basis of the resumption of classes, especially if it will be “unproductive” to the students.

Antonia Lim, president of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers in Central Visayas, also shared Dela Cerna’s sentiments.

“Many of our students were absent and some teachers are still in their respective provinces to visit the tombs of their departed loved ones. So wa’y klaro ang klase namo,” she said.

She cited that only 250 of the over 5,000 students of the Abellana National High School, a mere five percent, were present yesterday.

More cemetery visitors

Meanwhile, Cebu City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council chairman and City Councilor David Tumulak said more people went to the cemeteries yesterday compared to the weekend.

Tumulak said CCDRRMC was on Blue Alert early, with the expectation that people will not flock to cemeteries since it is not a holiday. However, he said the disaster team went to Red Alert at 8 a.m. yesterday after he noticed many people.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama said the city government followed the declaration of the national government that yesterday would not be a holiday.

He said holidays are declared by the national government, adding that he could exercise his authority to declare a holiday if there is a calamity or for disaster preparedness.

“Wala man pud ni-recommend ang DepEd,” he said.

Rama visited several cemeteries yesterday. For the Doña Pepang Cemetery, he said he will call a meeting again with families whose loved ones are buried at the cemetery to discuss the conversion of the cemetery into a heritage park.

The city government has cleared the houses in front of the cemetery, located along M.J. Cuenco Avenue, to pave the way for the beautification project.

Rama said he will discuss the final plan of the city government to the concerned families.

Violators cited

Meanwhile, an initial count of 759 violators were issued with citation tickets by Cebu City Environmental Sanitation Enforcement Team personnel and Barangay Environmental Officers for littering and smoking inside different cemeteries on November 1 and November 2.

CESET Chief Grace Luardo said the number might increase since the number was reported in her office as of 6:15 p.m. yesterday.

Personnel of CESET and BEOs have apprehended 488 for violating City Ordinance 2241 (The Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance of the City of Cebu) and the rest have violated City Ordinance 1361 (An Ordinance Establishing a System of Garbage Collection, Imposing Fees Therefore, and Appropriating Funds and for Other Related Purposes).

Luardo urged violators to settle the penalties of their violations to avoid being sued. She said violators of City Ordinance 2241 are fined P1,500 while those caught violating City Ordinance 1361 are fined P500.

At least 317 were caught at Calamba Cemetery, 186 at Carreta Cemetery, 123 at Barangay Luz Cemetery, 62 at the Talamban Public Cemetery, 29 at the Queen City Cemetery, 21 at Pardo Cemetery, six at Labangon Cemetery, among others. —/BRP (FREEMAN)