FACED WITH EXTREME temperatures within the country, Prof. Christian Bryan S. Bustamante, Ph.D., the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS), released a memorandum last April 13 suspending all outdoor classroom activities from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. until the end of the second semester.
As of writing, according to a recent heat index bulletin of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), apparent temperatures within Metro Manila were forecasted to reach and go beyond 45 Degrees Celsius, encompassing the affected area under the “danger” classification. Together with the advisory issued and guidelines set by the Department of Health (DOH) on “heat-related illnesses,” Dean Bustamante saw it “necessary” to take preventive measures in order to “secure the well-being of students against heat-associated risks.”
As reiterated by Dean Bustamante, all outside activities which would pose the risk of students being exposed to the sun are “suspended” based on the memorandum. To specify, the Dean particularly referred to activities conducted in “human kinetic courses, National Service Training Program (NSTP), and other proceedings imposed by the faculty.” This, however, does not include student processes during their On-The-Job trainings (OJT), except when said activities would be “done outside of a conducive environment.” Additionally, Dean Bustamante contended that the measures contained within the memorandum would “also be applicable to the teaching faculty.”
When asked about the probable challenges arising from the protocol, Dean Bustamante refuted this, saying that “the protocol is a preventive measure to keep students safe.” He then expounded that measures taken are not solely implemented by San Beda University (SBU) alone, when in fact, other schools and universities are taking separate action to ensure the “safety” of its students. Moreover, Dean Bustamante further contended that the measures and protocols, in themselves, are affirmations enabling the Local Government Units (LGUs) to suspend face-to-face classes within their respective jurisdictions.
Despite recognizing the rationale behind the suspension of face-to-face classes, Dean Bustamante nonetheless disagrees with the outright suspension of face-to-face classes, claiming that some schools or universities have air conditioning facilities. But knowing how some educational institutions access to air-conditioned classrooms don’t have, the Dean supports the announcement of Manila Mayor Honey Lacuna-Pangan in giving schools or universities the prerogative to have either asynchronous or blended learning. Hoping that the next announcement released by the LGU of the City of Manila would not be an outright directive to shift to asynchronous activities, the Dean expressed his stance that schools be given the option on how they would proceed with the conduct of class.
Vis-a-vis the protocol for the remaining weeks of the semester, Dean Bustamante sahred there would be no outdoor activities, with respect to this statement he asserts: “I am not banning activities per se, I am banning the kind of activities outside the classroom.”
Given the novelty of the present measures, the Dean highlighted that the protocol to cancel outdoor classroom activities due to extreme heat was the “first in the history of SBU.” Articulating his stance on climate change, he underscored the imperativeness of Laudato Si’ to which he advocated: “We will also have to change our lifestyle. We have to start planting trees again. We have to implement effective and efficient solid waste management. Go back to the basics, that’s why we have this Laudato Si’ program in the University.”