The Commission on Higher Education – Cordillera Administrative Region in coordination with the Council of Deans/Heads/Program Coordinators of Allied Health Programs in CAR met with the representatives of the different Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Region offering priority health professional education programs to discuss the “CHED-DOH Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) Guidelines on the Gradual Reopening of Campuses of Higher Education Institutions for Limited Face-to-Face Classes during the COVID-19 Pandemic” on February 02, 2021, via Zoom meeting.
Presidents, VPAAs, Deans and other representatives from the 17 HEIs offering priority health programs attended the consultative meeting. Also present during the meeting were Dr. Concessa Padilla and Mr. Randy Occidental of Baguio General Hospital; Dean Judith Magwilang, President of the Cordillera Association of Nursing Deans; Dr. Mary Grace Lacanaria, President of the Association of Deans of Philippine Colleges of Nursing; Dr. Janice Kaylyn Lonogan, President of the Council of Deans/ Heads/ Program Coordinators of Allied Health Programs in CAR.
OIC Director Danilo B. Bose discussed the updates on the said JMC. In his discussion, he emphasized that HEIs shall comply with the guidelines stated in the JMC for the protection of students, faculty, and staff during the conduct of limited face-to-face classes.
Out of the 17 attending HEIs, 15 expressed their intentions to apply for the authority to conduct limited face-to-face classes.
Issues and concerns of the HEIs regarding the implementation of limited face-to-face classes were resolved during the online meeting. The said meeting was facilitated by Dr. Jimmy G. Catanes, Education Supervisor II in-charged of all health professional education programs in the Region.
The said JMC is cognizant of the mandates of Republic Act No. 11332 otherwise known as the “Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.”
