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- ing at least "one arm's length"
)n Wednesday.
The hearing, called by the
louse committee on health,
lwelt briefly on the subiect of
omance, with Iloilo Rep. Ja-
Iette Garin, a former health
ecretary, asking
lwhat would be our advice to
hose dating and kissing their
irlfriends?"
"A lot of congressmen and
olleagues are asking me" about
hat matter, Garin noted.
Arm's length
She pressed Duque again
ihen he was sidetracked by oth-
r issues relatedto the epidemic:
Can lpeople] kiss or can lrhey]
ot kiss, Secretary Duque?"
Duque replied in iest: "We address this problem," Duque
ave to subiect kissirs to a risk
ssessment."
But he emphasized that Fili-
inos must take the concept of
)cial distancing seriously to
SOClAf.DlSIANelli6l.':it,:ll.t::,l:r,,,...:r:.:..t:..r:.,i:::,*.
Duque pressed:
To kiss or notto kiss?
By DJ Yap and Mariejo S. Ramos
ffi**Hgtr+t*tr*[#
(COVID-19) in the country.
And even lovers are being asked to find other
means of expressing affection aside from kiss_
avoid contracting the pneumo-
nia-causing coronavirus.
Social distancing, or keep-
from others in public spaces,
creat€s a "virtuous cycle" of
fewer people getting. exposed
to the virus and resulting in
less severe and less infectious
cases, he explained..
Duque:
flexibility'
'Exercise
Duque also acknowledged
the "huge challenge" ofpractic-
ing the concept in densely pop-
ulated Metro Manila, especial-
ly ar.nong those who use mass
public transport. (See story in
Metro, Page Afi.)
"The challenges we're fac-
ing are not easy. I understand
your sentiments but you can
expect that we will coordinate
with your omce for steps to
said, addressing Bayan Muna
Rep. Carlos Zarate.
Also on Wednesday, the
Department of Education
(DepEd) said it was imple-
Francisco Duque lll -ruannrre
BERMUDEZ
menting social distancing
measures for the remainder
of the school year, while Com-
mission on Higher Education
(CHEd) Chair Prospero de Vera
III instructed colleges and uni-
versities to "exercise flexibili-
ty" in adjusting their academic
calendars:
DepEd ofhcials directed
THURSDAY / MARCH
12,
WWW.INQUIRER.NET
teachers to conduct impor-
tant school activities, such as
fourth-quarter exams and other
remaining class requirements,
on a "staggered basis" from
March 16 to 20 to reduce the
number of students in school
per day.
The tests . were initially line classes and other inter-
scheduled for March u to 13 for ' net-based learning resources,
Grades 6 and rz, and March r9
to 20 for all other grade levels.
The DepEd said schools
could push through with the
exams because "the essential
competencies specified in
curriculum are expected to
have been covered" during the
school year,
Online classes
"I'm not worried
cause children, even before
COVID-19, were already famil-
iar with the health protocols
in schools. They were taught
to wash their hands before en-
tering and leaving their class-
rooms," Education Secretary
Leonor Briones said in a press
2o2o
conference on Wednesday.
The DepEd advised t_eachers
to give students pointers in re-
viewing for exams while classes
were suspended until March u.
Teachers may also opt to
work from home, it said.
Briones encouraged on-
"where it is possible."
"Some children do not
have access to the internet, so
this is not possible in all plac-
es. But our technical people
the are thinking of ways to con-
duct lclasses remotely] even
without internet connectivi-
ty," she said.
On suggestions to resche-
dule graduation rites, the
be- DepEd said schools had the dis-
cretion to hold these ceremo-
nies within Apiil 13 to r7 pro-
vided they foltow guidelines set
by the Department of Health
(DOH) on such gatherings.
"We trust the schools, we
trust the parents and their ca,
pacity to assess if they can
strictly implement the DOH re-
quirements," Briones said.
she also suggested'holding
graduation rites in batcks to
control the size of crowds and
limiting guests in these cere-
monies.
' Discretion
In his advisory to colleges
and uniYersities, De Vera re-
commended that they forgo
other curricular activities and
carry out alternative activi-
ties for students undergoing
practicum or on-the-job train-
ing.
On the field deplo]'ment
National Service Training
gram students, the CHEd
cial urged universities and col
leges to exercise discretion
allow alternative
service activities.
De Vera called on state col
leges and universities to
sult witl their regents
specific measures and
the CHEd regional ofrce
protocols:. rNo