Malacañang clarified on Tuesday that only face-to-face classes would be barred until a vaccine or drug against coronavirus disease is developed.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque issued the clarification after President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday night that there was no point of holding classes if there is no vaccine yet against the virus.

"What does the President mean when he said there would be no classes yet while there's no vaccine yet?...It means, while there's no vaccine yet and while we're not yet under new normal, the time when there's no more community quarantine, we won't have yet face-to-face classroom classes," he said in a virtual press briefing.

But when August 24, the initial target of the Department of Education to start holding classes, and the country is under new normal already, face-to-face classes would be allowed, Roque said.

"But if the new normal does not come and the community quarantines won't be lifted, it does not mean that the children would no longer have classes. We have what we call as blended learning," he said.

Quoting DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, Roque explained that under the blended learning, DepEd would use television, radio and internet in teaching the students.

Under this scheme, he said the children have to remain in their homes, observe minimum health standards, wear masks, social distancing, and use disinfectants.

Asked if the government would urge the third telecommunications player in the country to fast-track the roll out of its commercial services, Roque said, "We're not only dependent to private sector...perhaps we need to speed up and expand the program for free internet because it is important now that all the youths who are studying have internet."

But while other parts of the country have weak access to internet yet, he said, "we will use radio and television." Celerina Monte/DMS