The Wutz Up in the Philippines!

The Department of Education yesterday said majority of Filipinos still prefer a school opening in June instead of the proposed September. Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said a survey conducted from August to September by the department showed 66 percent of respondents were against the September opening of classes, with 34 percent in favor.

The survey respondents came from schools in divisions nationwide and included teachers, parents, local government officials, and other education stakeholders.

A total of 145 out of the 197 schools divisions participated in the survey.

Thirteen regions out of the 17 were not in favor of moving the school opening to September.

In favor of a September opening were Region III (Central Luzon) with 54 percent of respondents, Region VI (Western Visayas) with 68 percent and Region IX (Zamboanga Peninsula) with 51 percent.

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MANILA, Philippines—Warning that the panic over the Influenza A(H1N1) virus was already affecting the economy, Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said on Tuesday schools should no longer suspend classes if they get a second confirmed case of the

“It’s useless (suspending classes for entire schools). This is just like sore eyes or cough,” Lapus said.

He said suspending classes in schools where there was already a “low-level” outbreak of swine flu would only worsen an economy already teetering on recession.

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Citing the delays in the payment of the teachers’ honorarium in previous elections, the Department of Education (DepEd) on Wednesday said it would ask for full compensation for teachers who will render poll duties on the day of the election itself.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said the delay in paying the teachers their fees on the day of the elections itself could be avoided if the budget would be directly released to the department, which would take care of disbursement.

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