Officials of some universities in Cebu City have asked Mayor Michael Rama to allow the resumption of full in-person classes for all degree programs in the next academic year.

The higher education institutions (HEIs) with officials who met with Rama last Monday include University of San Carlos (USC), University of Southern Philippines, Don Bosco Technical College-Cebu, University of San Jose-Recoletos, Cebu Institute of Technology-University, University of Cebu, Southwestern University, University of the Visayas, Cebu Institute of Medicine, and Velez College.

The schools are pushing for full in-person classes when the next academic year starts in August, citing difficulties in remote and blended (a mix of face-to-face and remote) learning.

"It is hard that they (students) keep on shifting with their schedule," says Joan Largo, USC's vice president of academic affairs.

Under the Inter-Agency Task Force's Resolution No. 164, HEIs are allowed to implement 100-percent seating capacity in classrooms, but must first seek concurrence with the local government unit.

Currently, Cebu City, which is under the lowest COVID-19 alert level, does not have an executive order or ordinance to allow full in-person classes. Thus, HEIs in the city continue to hold limited in-person classes.

"Our compromise is to require everyone for vaccination, we are asking to lessen the restriction because when this starts, students and the staff will be required to be fully vaccinated," Largo said.

Universities with medical courses have been allowed to hold full in-person classes after seeking approval from the city government, which inspected their facilities.

Mayor Rama vowed to look into the HEIs' request, adding that he would conduct "special vaccination days" for colleges and universities.

Latest data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that Cebu City has vaccinated more than 70 percent of its eligible population against COVID-19.

The city has 73 active cases while hospital bed occupancy remained low at 23.6 percent, according to the DOH.

— Report from Annie Perez

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