ILOILO City – Parents and learners in the city and province of Iloilo are in favor of moving the school break back to the summer months of April and May.
Following reports that students were hospitalized during a surprise fire drill at a school in Laguna, Senate basic education committee chairman, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, was the first to make the call.
Some students passed out due to hunger and dehydration and suffered fatigue aggravated by the hot weather, he said.
Michelle Altura, a resident of Barangay Balabago, Jaro district and a mother of three learners – grades 1 and 6 at Jaro Elementary School and grade 9 at Jaro National High School – said is worried that her children would get sick due to extreme heat.
Thus she is in favor of reverting to the previous school break schedule.
“Grabe gid man subong ang init, kita mo damo nagareklamo ilabi na ang mga tigulang kag mga kabataan,” Altura told Panay News.
Her three children are uncomfortable of the excessive heat, she said. She bought umbrellas to shield them from the heat, and had them bring water to school to keep them hydrated.
“Damo bala nagaka-high blood kag damo nagakalamatay… Kon magbiyahe kami mainit gid ka tama,” added Altura.
It is advantageous if summer break is in April and May because children can enjoy themselves with activities, unlike in August and September when the rainy season starts, said Altura.
Because of these, Altura called on the officials and the Department of Education (DepEd) to return the summer vacation to April and May.
“Ibalik na lang nila sa April kag May ang summer vacation para sa mga kabataan, sa amon nga mga ginikanan kag sa tanan nga naga-antus sang grabe nga init,” said Altura.
Meanwhile, a parent to a Grade 2 pupil at the Iloilo Central Elementary School, Kim Florentino of Molo district, said the April and May summer break schedule is what parents and learners have been used to since.
“Okay sa akon nga ibalik sa normal nga school year [calendar] para indi na mabudlay sa mga kabataan ang sobra ka init,” said Florentino.
According to her, even parents cannot bear the heat, as proven by his skin’s darkening from being at school daily.
Cornelia Castro of Molo district, who has grandchildren studying at the Iloilo Central Elementary School, said the pupils’ time basking in the sun’s harmful heat will be reduced if the government brings back the summer vacation in April and May.
But, whatever the government’s decision will be, Castro said can only follow.
What is important to her is that his grandchildren can continue their studies.
According to Denna May Jardiolin of Pavia, Iloilo, and a first year college student at the Western Institute of Technology (WIT) in La Paz district, she is in favor of returning to the previous schedule of summer vacation because the heat, brought on by climate change, is unbearable now.
“Mainit gid. Super init gid. Bisan maglakat-lakat kami pakadto sa pihak (referring to the extension school campus), ay, daw impyerno,” said Jardiolin.
She added: “Maski mamayong ka pa init-init gid ‘ya kag maski magtinir ka lang sa balay.”
Jardiolin also lamented the extreme heat’s effects on her studies.
“Indi kami maka-concentrate kon init. Ang iban ya wala lang nagapamati sige lang pamaypay,” she added.
Aside from this, Jardiolin said she is not enjoying her school break in August and September because the rainy season begins and there are no fiestas or any leisure activities.
A freshman student at WIT, Kishia Gonzales of Ajuy, Iloilo, is also in favor of having the previous summer vacation schedule.
“Kay daw nasanay na kami nga amo na kag damo ka gid ‘ya mahimu kay summer vacation gid,” said Gonzales.
She said that due to the heat, the skin could burn when exposed, which cannot be avoided when going to school every day.
Gonzales also believes that education will not be affected if the summer vacation returns to April and May.
Anthony Perlas, a Grade 12 student of Jaro National High School and a resident of Barangay San Vicente, Jaro district, said he cannot stand the heat anymore.
“Sobra ka init, amo na nga wala ko naga-gwa kon recess,” said Perlas.
Naix Tillano of Jaro district and a Grade 11 student of Jaro National High School shared the same sentiments, saying: “Init gid ‘ya, gin-ot gid. Bisan mag-adjust kami okay lang kay nami gid kon April and May ang summer vacation,”
DepEd reaction
Panay News tried to contact the Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6, but Regional Information Officer Hernani Escullar said they will wait for an official issuance from their central office if the matter becomes a law.
Earlier, DepEd spokesperson Michael Poa said DepEd has no plans to move the school summer break back to April and May despite the hot weather.
“At the moment, there are no plans,” Poa answered when asked about the calls to move the school break back to April and May.
He said school heads have the discretion to suspend in-person classes and use alternative delivery modes or blended learning “if the environment is not conducive to learning.”/PN
