After two long years of doing distance learning, many kids are now excited to return to classrooms and meet their classmates personally. And just like thousands of other Filipino mothers, celebrity moms Judy Anne Santos-Agoncillo and Marjorie Baretto shared clips on their Instagram channels about their children’s first face-to-face classes.

Judy Anne Santos-Agoncillo’s Lucho Attends Face-to-Face Classes

Through Instagram stories, Judy Anne Santos-Agoncillo shared a glimpse of their ride on the way to Lucho’s school on Monday (April 4). Lucho was wearing a boy scout uniform.

“Sa sobrang excited, we’re 45 minutes early. At least walang nerbyos ma-late,” Juday said.

After Lucho expressed his excitement, he spoke about his nervousness. The actress comforted her son and assured him that he would do well.

“My stomach is in knots and my heart is beating so fast because I haven’t been to the school in two years,” Lucho said. “But now I’m going to the school and learning there.”

Lucho and his sister Luna received their first COVID-19 vaccinations in February. Their parents, Judy Anne Santos-Agoncillo, and actor Ryan Agoncillo accompanied them to a drive-through vaccination site.

Marjorie Barretto’s Youngest Daughter Erich Also Attends Face-to-Face Classes

In a similar post, Marjorie Barretto also shared on Instagram a send-off video for her youngest daughter Erich, who was wearing her school uniform while walking to the school’s gate and waving goodbye to her.

“Slowly but surely our children are going back to normal, our new normal… I can’t believe it’s been more than 2 yrs since I last dropped her off to school. She is so grown up now compared to the grade 2 student that she was that time, her uniform 2 sizes bigger now!” she shared.

Moreover, she also mentioned that her daughter “will finally have kids her own age to chat and play with.”

She ended the post by saying that her child’s happiness makes the “2 hours in traffic getting to school worth it.”

DepEd Nominates Over 17k Schools for Resumption of Face-to-face Classes

President Rodrigo Duterte authorized the expansion of limited face-to-face classes in areas with alert levels 1 and 2 in January.

The Department of Education (DepEd) recently allowed over 17,054 public schools and 425 private schools to resume in-person classes.

These schools are either fully compliant with the department’s School Safety Assessment Tool (SSAT) or are compliant but await local government unit approval.

“We are optimistic with this upward trend on the number of schools already implementing classroom-based learning. With support from the Central and Regional Offices, we are keen on reintroducing physical classes to more localities in the country,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones stated in a DepEd press release.

Moreover, the department also reported that at least 13,692 schools (78.3% of the nominated population), are currently holding in-person classes. There are approximately 3.1 million enrolled students in classroom-based learning across the country.

Students taking in-person classes, on the other hand, must have written permission from their parents. Additionally, only vaccinated teachers will teach through face-to-face classes.

DepEd Also Launches BIDA Kid Campaign for Safe Return to Schools

DepEd, in collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH) and the United State Agency for International Development (USAID), inaugurated the BIDA Kid campaign on Tuesday (April 5).

The said program aims to improve the implementation of health and safety protocols in schools. This is in consideration of the Department transitioning to a gradual expansion of the limited face-to-face classes amid the pandemic.

“The BIDA campaign program is anchored on the shared responsibility framework that underscores the importance of observing the health and safety protocols of all the stakeholders in the Department at all times,” DepEd Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral stated.

“If all people would strictly adhere, observe, and follow the prescribed protocols of the government, they are, in essence, protecting the entire community most especially those belonging to the most at-risk population,” he added.

Furthermore, he also highlighted that the BIDA Kid campaign reinforces the 3Bs health reminder of the DOH:

• Bakuna (vaccine)
• Bayanihan (cooperation)
• BIDA, which stands for:
  • Bestfriend natin ang mask (mask is our bestfriend)
  • Ingatan at hugasan ang mga kamay (wash and take care of our hands)
  • Dumistansya Muna (observe physical distancing)
  • Airflow ay panatilihin (maintain proper airflow)

Sec. Briones stated that the campaign is yet another initiative to keep children safe as face-to-face classes progressively return.

“We’re not giving up on online education. We’re not giving up on technology. So we’ll say that what we are instituting in the Philippines is a blend of face-to-face and technology,” she added.

Meanwhile, colleges and universities under Alert Level 1 areas can also begin full-room capacity classes. However, in order to allow students to return to school, the government has imposed conditions, one of which is that they obtain medical insurance.

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