MANILA — The government's inter-agency task force leading the COVID-19 pandemic response has endorsed to President Duterte the expansion of limited in-person classes for several other college programs, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) said Thursday.

CHED Chairman Prospero de Vera said he asked the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to allow in-person classes for students taking up engineering, hotel and restaurant management, and maritime courses.

De Vera made the appeal after it was found that there was little COVID-19 infection among medical and allied health students who were the first to be allowed to attend limited in-person classes.

"The IATF endorsed it already to the President," De Vera said in a virtual press conference.

"Doon sa first batch of schools na nag-limited face-to-face [classes], [COVID-19] infection was very, very low. No deaths. All those who got sick, gumaling," he added.

(Those in the first batch of schools that conducted limited face-to-face classes, COVID-19 infection was very, very low. No deaths. All those who got sick recovered.)

De Vera said the next batch that would be allowed to attend physical classes would be comprised of programs that require "hands-on experience."

• CHED eyes expanding limited face-to-face classes to other programs

Some 100 schools with medical and allied health courses have been allowed to hold face-to-face classes, De Vera said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities shifted to flexible learning, where students study from their homes through a blend of online (virtual classes) and offline (modules and other printed materials) methods.

— Report from Arra Perez, ABS-CBN News

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