DAGUPAN CITY, Nov 30 (PIA) - - Senator Sherwin Gatchalian is pushing for limited face-to-face classes in low risk areas and those with zero COVID-19 cases this January 2022.

Gatchalian, chair of the senate committee on education, said he supports the expansion of face-to face classes from 90 schools to 1,000.

“We are pushing for limited face-to-face classes for areas with zero COVID-19 cases and low risk areas. But for NCR and highly urbanized cities, we can delay a little more,”  Gatchalian said in an interview.

The senator  said there were several learnings during the opening of F2F classes on November 15,  like teachers have to be regularly tested to ensure that they are not infected with the virus when they go to school.

For students, vaccination for teenagers is greatly encouraged and parents who are still hesitant and uncomfortable to have their teenage children immunized must be properly informed of the benefits of vaccination as well.

The solon added that initial talks with the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and medical experts reveal the possibility of vaccinating five year old children and above for their protection.

Gatchalian was  in Pangasinan on Sunday to turn over his donation of 5,000 personal protective equipment and 50 sacks of slippers to the Region I Medical Center which, he said, is his way of showing support and love to medical front liners.(VHS/PIA Pangasinan)