Citing the yet slow coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccination rollout particularly in areas outside Metro Manila, Negrense Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri has expressed reservations on the push to resume face-to-face (F2F) classes by January next year.

The senate majority leader, in a press conference at the Stonehill Suites in Bacolod City over the weekend, said he is amenable to F2F classes provided the vaccination should be opened to five years old and above.

The government recently started rolling out its vaccination program to minors aged 12 to 17 years old as part of the pediatric A3 group.

“But what about those in Grade 1 to 3, so I hope they could also open it up for five years old and above like that in America,” he said, adding that “I myself have three kids and I am afraid that they might be infected like what happened to me.”

Some 100 schools in the country will start the pilot limited F2F classes today, November 15.

Some other officials, like Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, had been pushing for the resumption of full F2F classes two months after the pilot testing.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, said distance learning education does not work for Filipino schoolchildren.

Zubiri, however, said January is too close and early. Instead, it could be started in June also next year.

“I will not be afraid if our children are vaccinated. I think we can open the school year 2022 to 2023 in June,” he added.

Though he recognized the need to increase the number of vaccinated individuals, the senator stressed that he is not for mandatory vaccination.

Admittedly, there is still hesitancy for others to get vaccinated, Zubiri said, as he lamented that some of his friends died of Covid-19 without getting the jabs.

“So we really need to push for vaccination, but the approach should not focus on the penalty,” he said.

What he is suggesting is to incentivized vaccinees either through goods like rice and canned goods, or cash gifts depending on the capacity of the local government.

In Bukidnon, he said, they are doing a raffle event where vaccinated residents can win motorcycles and free stay in resorts, among other prizes.

From only 18 percent, their [Bukidnon] vaccination went up to 30 percent now, Zubiri said.

“We need to continue that style. We need to ramp up vaccination program but not necessarily make it mandatory,” he said, adding that in order to go back to F2F classes, there’s a need to achieve 60 to 70 percent fully vaccinated individuals.*