TANGUB CITY, Misamis Occidental(PIA)–The city government here met with the school heads of the Northwestern Mindanao State College of Science and Technology (NMSCST), Gov. Alfonso D. Tan College (GADTC) and Tangub City COVID Task Force to put in place policies in compliance with the new normal before the opening of classes in August.
Each school was mandated to inform boarding house owners about the policies under the new normal. Based on the guidelines, boarding houses should be inspected and observed if they have implemented the mandatory disinfection before occupancy. Even if occupants are already in the unit, the boarding house will be inspected once a week.
Furthermore, in observance of minimum health standards, the number of bed spacers should be limited to maintain physical distancing. Wearing of face masks and observance of personal hygiene are mandatory.
There should also be massive information dissemination in all forms through the city-owned radio and television stations, public address, or billboards.
COVID-19 testing of students
As required by the LGU, students residing outside Misamis Occidental should undergo rapid testing in their respective schools.
Tan said rapid testing of students from GADTC will be shouldered by the city government. She added that the LGU will seek assistance from the provincial government for the rapid testing of students from NMSC.
“The rapid test will be conducted at the respective schools,” Tan said. Students of both schools should be in Tangub City ten days before the opening of classes, although there is no face-to-face learning yet.
The mayor said such is a precaution against local transmission, especially among the students who are coming outside of Misamis Occidental. Thus, they will not be allowed to go home during the semester.
The two schools committed to inspect the boarding houses. However, the mayor emphasized that there will be an independent inspection to be conducted by the City COVID 19 Task Force to include the city director of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“This is to cross-check whether the boarding houses implement the mandated policies,” Tan added.
Learning arrangement
For students without computers or access to the internet, the mayor suggested to the two schools to provide an area where computers are available for them during enrolment.
The two schools have already prepared a special arrangement for on-campus and off-campus student internship programs.
Reyes said the school has designed a modality to conduct an on-campus and off-campus internship.
Moreover, the mayor discussed the possibility of using habal-habal drivers as ‘motor grab drivers’ for the delivery of goods or all kinds of errands.
“This will solve the problem of the influx of people doing many errands at the same time, and also giving the habal-habal drivers a source of income.
Initially, this will be piloted in Tangub City, and later on in the borders or the whole province of Misamis Occidental,” Tan said. (Tangub Information Office/PIA Misamis Occidental)
