MANILA — A public elementary school in Pasig held a dry run in preparation for the possible resumption of face-to-face classes, Mayor Vico Sotto said Wednesday as local officials plan to reopen select schools in the city next month.

The local chief executive posted photos of the dry run on his Twitter account.

"Ito na sila! After almost two years," Sotto wrote in one post with a photo that showed students lining up outside a school building.

(Here they are! After almost two years.)

Eto na sila! After almost 2 yrs! ☺️🎉 Makikita rito ang simulation/dry run ng pagpasok ng mga mag-aaral sa Pasig Elem. 👦👧👩‍🏫

Salamat sa mga magulang na nagbigay ng kanilang consent.

Ang target date ng DepeEd Pasig para sa pilot face-to-face ay Dec 6. pic.twitter.com/R4RLQt5UfD

— Vico Sotto (@VicoSotto) November 24, 2021

Another photo showed the students inside the classroom, wearing face masks and seated away from one another.

Unlike other schools that are currently participating in the Department of Education's (DepEd) pilot implementation of in-person classes, there were no plastic barriers installed around students' chairs in Pasig Elementary School.

"Gaya ng sabi ng maraming eksperto, the key is good ventilation and air flow," Sotto said in the caption.

(Like what many experts say, the key is good ventilation and airflow.)

Sotto said the local DepEd office in Pasig is eyeing the return of in-person classes by December 6.

He added that four schools may join the pilot run of in-person classes: Pasig Elementary School, Nagpayong Elementary School, Francisco Legaspi Memorial School, and Pasig Ugong National High School.

Aside from Pasig, Taguig has also been preparing for the resumption of in-person learning, with schools retrofitting their facilities to implement COVID-19 health protocols.

• Testing face-to-face classes in Taguig

The DepEd has yet to give a definite date as to when Metro Manila schools can hold limited in-person classes, but it has said they may be included in the additional schools for the pilot phase, which started this November, or the expansion phase next year.

• DepEd to expand list of schools joining face-to-face classes pilot run

The pilot and expansion phases are the first and second stages of the government's three-step plan to reopen Philippine schools after two years of distance learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• No COVID-19 case so far in public schools holding in-person classes: DepEd