MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Thursday, December 2, that 28 public schools in Metro Manila will be part of the pilot run of limited face-to-face classes starting Monday, December 6.

The schools are the following:

• Andres Bonifacio Elementary School – Caloocan City
• Bagumbong Elementary School – Caloocan City
• Comembo Elementary School – Makati City
• Santiago Syjuco Memorial Integrated Secondary School – Malabon City
• Amado T. Reyes Elementary School – Mandaluyong City
• Renato R. Lopez Elementary School – Mandaluyong City
• Aurora A. Quezon Elementary School – Manila City
• Ramon Q. Avancena High School – Manila City
• St. Mary Elementary School – Marikina City
• Tañong High School – Marikina City
• Putatan Elementary School – Muntinlupa City
• Tunasan National High School – Muntinlupa City
• Bangkulasi Senior High School – Navotas City
• Filemon T. Lizan Senior High School – Navotas City
• Don Galo Elementary School – Parañaque City
• La Huerta Elementary School – Parañaque City
• Padre Zamora Elementary School – Pasay City
• Ugong National High School – Pasig City
• Pasig Elementary School – Pasig City
• Bagong Silangan Elementary School – Quezon City
• Payatas B Elementary School – Quezon City
• Pedro Cruz Elementary School – San Juan City
• Ricardo P. Cruz, Sr. Elementary School – Taguig City
• Sen. Renato “Compañero” Cayetano Memorial Science & Technology High School – Taguig City
• Roberta De Jesus Elementary School – Disiplina Village Bignay Extension – Valenzuela City
• Tagalag Elementary School – Valenzuela City
• Las Piñas National High School – Las Piñas City
• National Senior High School – Manuyo Campus – Las Piñas City

Metro Manila is under Alert Level 2 for COVID-19. Limited face-to-face classes under this alert level are allowed but subject to DepEd approval. (READ: Will Metro Manila schools be allowed to hold limited face-to-face classes?)

After nearly two years, the government allowed the pilot run of face-to-face classes in over 100 select schools starting November 15.

President Rodrigo Duterte recently allowed DepEd and the Department of Health (DOH) to identify more schools to join the pilot run.

The DepEd has identified more schools outside Metro Manila but it has yet to give specific details on when they would resume face-to-face classes.

The select schools for the initial pilot run are in areas deemed “low-risk” for COVID-19 by the DOH, which are mostly remote areas. There are about 48,000 public schools in the country.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said that the first week of face-to-face classes was “fairly successful.”

The Philippines is the last country in the world to reopen schools for in-person classes since the World Health Organization declared a pandemic in March 2020. On October 25, Venezuela reopened schools after a long closure.

The Philippine government’s pandemic response had been under fire, with critics saying that school closure in the country reflected misplaced priorities and failed management of the health crisis. – Rappler.com