Pasig City is working with the Department of Health in finding ways to give public school students better access to learning, whether physical or virtual classes will be implemented, Mayor Vico Sotto announced on Tuesday.

“Ano man ang mangyari, hindi natin puwedeng hayaan na mahuli ang mga magaaral natin sa mga pampublikong paaralan,” Sotto said in a Facebook post.

Sotto added that Pasig was preparing to provide better internet connections at the barangay (village) level so students could access online modules easier.

Whether classes resume physically or virtually, Sotto said the city would earmark funds to provide personal learning devices to students.

President Rodrigo Duterte late Monday said he would not allow face-to-face classes to open before a Covid-19 vaccine became available in the market.

Palace spokesman Harry Roque and Health Secretary Francisco Duque III however said on Tuesday in-person classes could open by Aug. 24 if the country would be under the “new normal” and minimum health standards were observed.

Roque also said blended learning would be utilized with tools such as television, radio and internet. John Ezekiel J. Hirro