Zambales 2nd District Rep. Cheryl Deloso-Montalla urged the Department of Education (DepEd)-Central Luzon to “take extra mile” in assisting COVID-19 positive teachers who got infected after the face-to-face activities in Zambales.
Rep. Montalla remarked the seminars as “disastrous” and “very alarming and unfortunate” after 15 DepEd employees tested positive for the COVID-19.
“The seminars conducted by the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Zambales which were attended by school principals and head teachers from March 1-6, 2021 and March 8-12, 2021 in two separate beach resorts in the Municipality of Iba, Province of Zambales in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic is a very alarming and unfortunate incident,” Montalla said.
Read more: Face-to-face seminar sa Zambales, nagresulta sa 22 COVID-19 positive cases
“These school heads are now being attended to in President Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Hospital (PRMMH) and contact-tracing yielded an exponential increase in the COVID-19 statistics in the Province of Zambales,” she added.
She also reiterated that while depEd is expected to ensure universal access to quality education,the conduct of face-to-face seminar involving 300 personnel is unwarranted.
“I also urge the DepEd Division of Zambales to do the appropriate thing – take the extra mile to assist all the school heads, teachers and their close contacts who fell victim to COVID-19,” Montalla said.
The source of the infections was a teacher who served as the guest speaker in both seminars, said Dr. Noel Bueno, provincial health director.
Related: DepEd Main Office under lockdown until March 24
