House minority leader Marcelino Libanan on Sunday, April 30, urged the government to make quick work of reverting to the old school calendar of a June class opening.
Libanan, the Pagtibayin at Palaguin ang Pangkabuhayang Pilipino party list, stressed that returning to a June school opening would protect both teachers and students from possible heat stress during the dry months of April and May.
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Libanan noted that many children from poor families, particularly in the provinces, had to walk long distances to go to school, pointing out, “The prolonged physical exertion, combined with the agonizing heat, puts them at risk of heat exhaustion.”
Under the old school calendar, classes started in June and ended in April. The lawmaker cited data from the Department of Health, which has reported several cases of heat-related illness on students since March.