STUDENTS from across the country officially returned to face-to-face classes Monday, August 22, 2022, two years after the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic forced a shift to the distance learning modality, with the return to campuses considered relatively orderly, although physical distancing was not strictly observed in some schools.Increased traffic was also observed on some roads.Department of Education (DepEd) spokesperson Michael Poa said as of 7 a.m., 28 million learners had enrolled, which is higher than the enrollment in 2021 but lower than the 28.6 million target of the agency for this school year.In some schools, minimum health protocols, particularly physical distancing, were violated as learners, together with their parents or guardians, flocked to the schools Monday.Generally, as part of safety protocol, before heading to their respective classrooms, students had to undergo a temperature check at the school entrance. Students with high temperatures were asked to go home.Alcohol sprays or pumps were also placed at the entrance, and in other areas in the school to ensure frequent disinfection of students.Chairs inside the classrooms were positioned apart to ensure the physical distancing of students.Students and teachers were also required to wear their masks except when drinking and eating.In some schools, the traditional flag raising ceremony was done per classroom.Students were also not allowed to loiter around the school even during recess, as they will be allowed to eat only inside their classrooms to minimize their exposure amid the Covid-19 pandemic.In a television interview, Poa said the opening of school had so far been “peaceful and safe.”Poa said late enrollees were expected until September or as long as the students meet the requirement of attending 80 percent of the prescribed school days of 203.A total of 24,765 private and public schools nationwide, or 46 percent will implement in-person classes for five days, while 29,721 schools or 51.8 percent will implement the blended learning modality, and 1,004 schools or 1.29 percent will implement full-distance learning.By Nov. 2, though, schools should already hold in-person classes five days a week.Central VisayasIn Central Visayas, DepEd 7 Director Salustiano Jimenez also said the opening of classes for SY 2022-2023 had been generally “smooth and orderly.”He told SunStar Cebu Monday that he had not received any reports of major issues and concerns from the 20 school division offices in the region although some schools reported a lack of classrooms.But this was addressed right away “because the strategy of the schools is to do shifting — morning and afternoon sessions,” he said.Jimenez earlier said the number of enrollees in Central Visayas had already reached more than 1.8 million, including almost 200,000 students enrolled in private schools as of Friday, Aug. 19.DepEd 7 has a target of two million enrollees for SY 2022-2023.Jimenez urged parents to remind their children to observe the minimum health protocols, particularly the wearing of masks, to ensure their safety.The DepEd has allowed teachers who have not been vaccinated against Covid-19 to handle face-to-face classes without having to submit a negative rapid antigen or RT-PCR test result every two weeks.Lapu-Lapu CityDr. Reynold Velos, chief of the School Governance and Operations Division in Lapu-Lapu City, said the lack of classrooms and teachers was among the common problems they encountered, particularly in public schools, during the first day of classes.“The initial solution is the double shift classes (two class sessions),” said Velos, adding that students would report to school only half day.Velos also noted the congestion that occurred when students entered the school premises, considering that they had to be screened prior to entry.Mario Napuli, head of the Lapu-Lapu City Management System, said motorists experienced heavy traffic along the roads in the city, particularly in Barangays Babag, Basak and Marigondon, on the first day of classes, particularly around 6:30 to 7:30 a.m.Cebu CityIn Cebu City, the traffic on roads outside major schools and universities in Cebu City remained moderate despite the influx of commuters Monday.Cebu City Transportation Office (CCTO) executive director Paul Gotiong told SunStar Cebu that they had deployed additional personnel to man the roads near schools during rush hour.Gotiong said moderate to heavy flow of traffic was experienced by motorists outside a mall on N. Bacalso Ave. wherein three major schools are located.Gotiong said they were managing the increase in volume of passengers brought by the resumption of face-to-face classes by having passengers or commuters “load and unload in specific stops.”Gotiong also asked motorists who will ferry their children to school not to double park on roads near schools.Gotiong added they are tapping barangay officials and personnel to help manage the traffic flow.SecurityPolice Regional Office 7 Director Brigadier General Roque Eduardo DP Vega said the opening of classes in the region had been generally peaceful and manageable “considering that about 1,850 police personnel were deployed regionwide to ensure peace and order and public safety in Central Visayas for the school opening.”He said unit commanders were directed to intensify law enforcement activities in schools, transportation hubs, and places of convergence to prevent crimes.A total of 693 Police Assistance Desks were established near the entrance gate of school campuses to address security concerns of students, parents, and school staff in coordination with the school administration officials.Also, police stations conducted mobile and foot patrols along major routes and highways near campuses to protect the students from possible danger and enforce minimum public health standards.Lt. Col. Wilbert Parilla, deputy city director for administration of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said policemen deployed to schools work in two shifts, as the schools have also assigned two class schedules for the students to prevent overcrowding.The first shift starts early in the morning and ends at 2 p.m. The second shift ends around 8:30 p.m.The CCPO is especially monitoring the Abellana National School, which has the biggest number of students and which is located in the heart of the city.Major Nolan Tagsip, chief of the Abellana Police Station 2, said they assigned cops inside and outside the campus. Those assigned outside were tasked to help ensure that traffic is flowing.KidnappingThe police also denied Monday, August 22, reports that there was an attempt to kidnap a female student in one of the universities in the city.“That’s not true. There was no such incident like that in Urgello because we deployed police there for the class opening,” said Parilla.Aside from the Abellana National School, thousands of students also flocked to Ramon Duterte Memorial National High School in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City on Monday.Roy Guarin, school principal, said they have around 6,000 students and this number might still increase.He said they lacked classrooms, as some were damaged by Typhoon Odette (Rai) in December 2021.Guarin called on private companies to help repair their damaged classrooms. (TPM / SunStar Philippines, MKG, IRT,PR, AYB / LMY)