After contrasting statements from President Duterte and the Department of Education (DepEd), the latter has agreed with the president and is not allowing face-to-face classes to resume until a vaccine for COVID-19 is found. Classes will resume through distance learning with the use of phones, tablets, computers, television and radios.

Next on our list: a bayanihan drive for distance learning, to help students and teachers in poor communities. If you have extra gadgets lying around your homes or offices, we hope you'll consider donating. More details (i.e. minimum specs) in the coming days🤓 pic.twitter.com/5sretnhUrv

— Leni Robredo (@lenirobredo) June 9, 2020

In line with this, the Office of the Vice President (OVP) is initiating a donation drive to help both students and teachers in underserved communities. Old and unused smartphones, tablet computers, laptops and desktop computers that still function properly and have basic software programs can be donated to the OVP.

More information, including the gadgets’ specifications, will be released soon by the OVP.

Robredo and her team have been providing support for COVID-19 relief efforts over quarantine. Most recently, she has raised P60.9 million for 321,488 personal protective equipment sets that can provide for over 21,000 frontliners. She has also launched a delivery application to help the livelihood of small-scale vendors and tricycle drivers during quarantine.

[READ: VP Robredo’s delivery app to help small-scale vendors, tricycle drivers now available in Pasig]

Manila and Pasig City mayors Isko Moreno and Vico Sotto have also launched initiatives to provide for the city’s students by preparing and allocating budgets for learning gadgets and stronger internet connectivity.

Header photo courtesy of Oliur on Unsplash

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