The Department of Education-Division of Bacolod is being asked to assign school nurses to all primary and secondary schools within Bacolod City to address and prevent health issues caused by the rising temperatures this summer.
The request was made in a resolution authored by Councilor Claudio Jesus Puentevella that was approved by the Bacolod Sangguniang Panlalawigan on Wednesday, April 26.
Bacolod Mayor Alfredo Abelardo Benitez told reporters Wednesday that the city government is looking into the pay rates of school nurses in response to reports that many public schools don’t have any assigned to them.
Benitez also said he will support the holding of half day classes if it is determined that heat levels have become hazardous.
He said a return to the June-to-March academic calendar sounds like a good idea, which he will discuss with the Department of Education officials if the opportunity arises.
The city government will try to mitigate the situation in classrooms caused by the hot weather, he said, noting that the El Niño phenomenon is expected to last until next year.*