By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Palace Press Officer and Presidential Communications Office Usec. Claire Castro has shared further updates about the government’s progress on improving the country’s education system and addressing woes regarding the structural integrity of the San Juanico Bridge at the Malacañang press briefing on Monday, May 19.
As part of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to address gaps in the country’s education sector, the government has created 16,000 new teaching positions in time for the opening of classes in June this year.
Castro emphasized that these job openings are part of the first phase of a larger plan to hire 20,000 teachers, in a bid to reduce overcrowding in classrooms and improve the quality of education across the nation.
This initiative works in conjunction with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) efforts to address the shortage of teachers in 2024, which amounts to 56,000 vacant positions, and a move toward a more effective teacher-student ratio.
The national classroom-to-student ratio is 1:40, above DepEd’s ideal of 1:30. Many primary schools also exceed the 1:35 target. Smaller classes allow teachers to give more focused attention and improve learning outcomes.
“Ang nais po ng Pangulo ay mabigyan po ang bawat estudyante, matutukan po [sila] ng kanilang [mga] guro para po mas maging maganda ang kanilang pagsasanay at pag-aaral,” Castro said.
Palace points out necessity of San Juanico Bridge rehab
At the same briefing, the Palace mouthpiece also appealed for public understanding regarding the impending rehabilitation of the iconic bridge that links the islands of Samar and Leyte.
She emphasized that the conduct of major repairs to the 52-year-old infrastructure is crucial to avoid potential hazards, and ensure the well-being of the people.
“Ito lamang po ang una nating ipaparating, ito ay ayon sa ating Pangulo: ang pagre-rehabilitate po [ay] masasabi natin magkakaroon ng epekto sa taumbayan, sa concerned citizens na nandoon sa lugar. Pero tingnan po natin ito sa mas positibong aspeto dahil ito po ay rehabilitation,” Castro said.
“Mas nanaisin po talaga na maiwasan kung anuman ang maaaring idulot na disgrasya kung ito man ay hindi maayos nang maagap,” she added.
Earlier, several mitigation measures were put in place on the heels of mounting concerns about the San Juanico Bridge’s structural integrity, including a weight restriction on vehicles weighing above 3 tons, activating a “blue alert status” in the Eastern Visayas region, and the creation of a multi-agency task force to closely monitor the iconic infrastructure.
The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) said that the 2.16-kilometer San Juanico bridge is scheduled to undergo a two-year rehabilitation worth around P900 million following recent structural vulnerability findings.
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