Although online learning can be fun and less time-consuming, there are topics better taught and discussed in person. Just imagine how Physical Education teachers and sports instructors had to adjust their curriculum due to the sudden shift to e-learning! As the COVID-19 cases continue to drop and with majority of the Philippines now on Alert Level 1, multiple organizations are now calling for a safe reopening of schools nationwide.

Last Tuesday (April 5, 2022), the Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Health (DOH), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), together with SM Supermalls formally launched their BIDA Kid campaign – a COVID-19 prevention campaign which promotes the safe resumption of face-to-face classes, at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall to remind teachers, students, and parents to continue practicing safety protocols both at home and in school.

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The campaign encourages students to remember the 3Bs: Bakuna (vaccination), Bayanihan (cooperation), and BIDA. BIDA stands for Bestfriend natin ang mask, Ingatan at hugasan ang kamay, Dumistansya muna, and Airflow ay pantilihin (Masks are our bestfriend, keep safe and wash your hands, keep your distance, and maintain airflow).

In attendance were DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones, DepEd Undersecretary Wilfredo Cabral, DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla, DepEd Assistant Secretary Malcolm Garma, DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III, USAID Philippines Mission Director Ryan Washburn, and SM Supermalls Senior Vice President for Operations Bien Mateo.

“One of our utmost priorities is the safety of our learners amid the risk of COVID-19. The BIDA Kid campaign is another whole-of-government initiative to encourage everyone to keep our children protected while we progressively reintroduce classroom-based learning,” said Briones.

To help students remember the essentials of being a BIDA kid, DepEd also rolled out colorful key visuals and banners that will be distributed to different schools, along with a catchy jingle and music video on social media:

Aside from continuous vaccination programs in schools, SM Supermalls is also encouraging both parents and kids to get jabbed at their pediatric vaccination sites. The mall remains to be one of the government’s largest private sector partner in their vaccination efforts since 2021.

“Our pediatric vaccination sites will remain open to cater to the vaccination needs of our children aged 5 to 11 and 12 to 17. We assure you that we remain committed to providing a safe, convenient, and fun vaccination experience for the kids and their family members and friends,” said Mateo.

For more details on how to support the BIDA Kid campaign and efforts to safely resume face-to-face classes, you may read the recent DepEd orders and memoranda here.

Please encourage your kids (if any), younger siblings, relatives, and friends to get vaccinated! We still have a long way to go to reach zero active COVID-19 cases but we’ll slowly get there with every little step we make each day.

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