The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) today (Sept. 6) inspected schools in Quezon City and Caloocan in support of the Department of Education’s Oplan Balik Eskwela 2021 for the upcoming school year.
MMDA Chairman Atty. Benhur Abalos inspected Doña Juana Elementary School in Barangay Holy Spirit, Quezon City and Silanganan Elementary School in Barangay Bagong Silang, Caloocan.
According to Abalos, the MMDA accommodated requests for assistance from schools in cleaning their premises.
Personnel from the MMDA’s Metro Parkways Clearing Group, Health, Public Safety, and Environmental Protection Office, and Traffic Engineering Center conducted misting (anti-dengue) operations, cleaning, roof gutter declogging, drainage cleaning, pruning of trees, planting, and painting of pedestrian markings.
Abalos explained that while there are no face-to-face classes yet because of the COVID-19 pandemic, these cleaning efforts and initiatives are still very important especially since teachers and parents still go to school for distribution and submission of modules as part of the distance learning system or blended learning.
“We are focusing not just on addressing the pandemic but also on our anti-dengue efforts, through our misting operations especially since we are expecting typhoons these ‘ber’ months,” he said.
Abalos also said that the MMDA will also clean canals which are the usual breeding grounds for dengue-carrying mosquitoes.
The MMDA is part of the DepEd’s Oplan Balik Eskwela – Inter-Agency Task Force which is tasked to provide guidelines in health and safety, peace and order, transportation, and other forms of support when the school year opens on Sept 13 (Monday). (MMDA) – bny
