MANILA, (PNA) — Classes will be resumed in non-critical areas in Zamboanga City, Mayor Isabelle Climaco-Salazar announced on Sunday.
She made this statement as the stand-off between the military and Moro National Liberation Front reached its 14th day.
Climaco-Salazar, however, stressed that curfew hours between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. will remain in effect.
“Classes in private and public schools outside of the areas of concern will be resumed on Wednesday, Sept. 25, but school officials will report on Monday, Sept. 23, for organizational meetings and preparations for the resumption of classes,” she said in her Twitter account.
The Zamboanga mayor added that specific guidelines will be issued by the Department of Education’s division office.
Her announcement came days after the Department of Education said 80 percent of schools in the city can resume classes.
Climaco-Salazar also urged village officials and watchmen and other force multipliers to “take an active role in securing” the community, including the students.
Classes in the city had been suspended since September 9, when followers of Moro National Liberation Front founding chairman Nur Misuari engaged government forces in a standoff.
While the MNLF forces initially had several civilian hostages, the government has since retaken most of the MNLF-controlled areas even as many of the hostages had been released or rescued.