The Makati City government on Tuesday announced that 12 public schools in the city have resumed face-to-face classes after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“After nearly two years, our students are excited to go back to school and use their new uniforms, school bags, rubber shoes, and other school supplies. Providing new school apparel to students is one way to motivate them to do well in class,” Mayor Abigail Binay said in a statement.
The mayor earlier led the distribution of school gear and supplies to some 87,050 public school students from kindergarten to senior high school, including special education (SPED) students.
“I am delighted to see our students looking neat and smart in their new school uniform, especially our kinder pupils,” Binay said.
Binay said the new uniform design was inspired by uniforms worn by schoolchildren in Japan, known for its simple lines and comfort.
The city chief executive also said the city has provided Japanese-style backpacks to some 13,100 students in Grades 1 and 4.
“We also invested in providing our Grades 1 and 4 with a Randoseru, a firm-sided backpack commonly used by elementary schoolchildren in Japan. The bags are designed to last for at least three school years,” she said.
Mayor Binay revealed that the city government has installed temperature scanners, alcohol dispensers, foot baths, UV lights, and air purifiers in the public schools as part of their public health and safety protocols.
Among the public schools in Makati that have resumed face-to-face classes were Maximo Estrella Elementary School, Jose Magsaysay Elementary School, San Isidro National High School, Guadalupe Viejo Elementary School, West Rembo Elementary School, Makati High School, Gen. Pio Del Pilar National High School, F. Benitez Elementary School III, Fort Bonifacio High School, Hen. Pio del Pilar Elementary Main, Pitogo High School, and Comembo Elementary School.
Carleen Sedilla, DepEd-Makati schools division superintendent, said more schools were expected to begin in-person classes in the coming weeks.
She explained that Makati public schools implement a scheduling system in which half of the class will attend classroom sessions for the first week, while the other half – who are doing virtual classes – will attend face-to-face classes on the second week.
Last week, Mayor Binay launched the latest edition of “AB 4.0” rubber shoes, distributed with other school apparel and supplies to over 87,000 public school students as part of the city’s expanded Project FREE (Free Relevant and Excellent Education).
Under the project, 10,100 jackets have been allocated for Grades 11 and 12 students, while 30,800 three-way bags were handed out to students from Grades 7 to 10.
In 2017, the first version of the sneakers, dubbed as “Air Binay” by netizens, was released to some 89,862 public students in Makati.
In 2019, around 90,000 students from kindergarten to senior high school received AB 2.0.
The release of AB 3.0 happened in 2020, which benefitted 93,110 public school students.
According to the mayor, the production of rubber shoes was stopped in 2021 due to the pandemic.