Palace leaves decision on use of ABS-CBN frequencies to DepEd

Besides using ABS-CBN’s frequencies to keep students engaged, Villafuerte said they also may be used to disseminate information on coronavirus disease (Covid-19) prevention and control, risk-reduction and preparedness. (File photo by Patrickroque01 at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0)

MANILA – Malacañang on Thursday welcomed a solon’s proposal to temporarily make use of ABS-CBN’s radio and TV frequencies to provide distance learning modalities to students in the upcoming school year.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, however, said it will be up to the Department of Education (DepED) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to make the final decision.

“It’s a good idea pero ito po ay dedesisyunan ni [DepEd] Secretary Leonor Briones at ni [CHED] Chairman Popoy [de Vera] (It’s a good idea but Secretary Briones and Chairman Popoy will make the decision on that matter),” Roque said in a virtual Palace briefing.

House Deputy Speaker Luis Raymund Villafuerte filed House Resolution 1044 proposing that educators deliver their teaching modules on the signals vacated by ABS-CBN after they failed to secure a new legislative franchise.

Besides using ABS-CBN’s frequencies to keep students engaged, Villafuerte said they also may be used to disseminate information on coronavirus disease (Covid-19) prevention and control, risk-reduction and preparedness.

On May 5, ABS-CBN was forced to shut down its radio and TV operations, a day after its franchise expired.

ABS-CBN Corp.’s Knowledge Channel earlier offered to share its video lessons for distance learning.

No F2F classes

The DepEd is set to implement distance learning strategies as limited face-to-face (F2F) classes are still prohibited, with TV and radio-based instruction being one of the three main setups with modular and online learning as the other two options.

With the August opening of classes just around the corner, Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte has yet to decide on whether to allow limited F2F classes in areas under the least restrictive modified general community quarantine (MGCQ).

“Ang sabi po ni Presidente i-submit mo sa amin ng written proposals ng ma-discuss ng mas mabuti ‘yan at meron pa namang panahon para desisyunan (The President said, submit written proposals so that we can discuss it thoroughly and we still have time to make a decision),” he said.

He emphasized that F2F classes will not be allowed in areas under MGCQ unless approved by Duterte.

“Meron pong proposal na limited face-to-face hindi pa po ‘yan mapapatupad hanggang di pa po ‘yan a-aaprubahan ng ating Presidente (There is a proposal to allow limited face-to-face classes but that will not be implemented until approved by the President),” he said.

The DepEd has scheduled the school opening on Aug. 24, 2020 and the end of the school year on April 30, 2021 but private schools may start earlier upon the approval of regional directors.

In May, Duterte rejected the resumption of F2F classes until a vaccine against Covid-19 is developed.

Briones assured that F2F classes would not take place until it is safe to do so as declared by Duterte.