THE City Government of Bacolod will no longer use the radio-based instruction for the educational use of students in the city.

This was decided after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) denied the Local School Board's request for the approval of a special permit to the Department of Education (DepEd)-Division of Bacolod City to put up and operate a radio station with a frequency capacity of 100 watts for the education of students.

Councilor Renecito Novero, chairperson of the City Council committee on education, said Monday, February 8, that NTC did not approve their request, but they are still thankful that one of the local radio stations in Bacolod accommodated the DepEd program for free.

On its letter to Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran dated January 21, 2021, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba said they recognize the need in pursuit of the Bacolod City Local School Board objective, a request to install and operate a non-commercial FM broadcast radio station/educational broadcast station to be used as an alternative mode in the delivery of education amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but the broadcast frequency is a very limited natural resource which the NTC cannot afford to assign broadcast frequency to each and every school.

"The NTC and the DepEd have been in constant coordination to ensure continuity of providing quality education through the use of Cable TV and broadcasting facilities. We strongly suggest that your Local School Board coordinates with the DepEd Central Office for guidance and with the Philippines Broadcasting Services (PBS), a government radio broadcast station, for possible affiliation," Cordoba said.

Novero said that for now, the DepEd blended or distant learning is sufficient and effective.

"So we will concentrate on this, modular distance learning, for our students," he said.

This school year, the DepEd is adopting three learning modalities: modular distance learning, which uses self-learning modules in printed or digital format; online distance learning, which uses the Internet in downloading learning materials and uploading homework; and radio/TV-based instruction for learners who have no Internet connectivity.