Manila, June 30 -- Davao de Oro's Provincial Local Schools Board has allotted some PHP7-million funds for the Department of Education's use in the shift to a blended learning approach this coming school year.

In a statement on Tuesday, Davao de Oro Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy said the move is in line with President Rodrigo Duterte's order that there would be no face-to-face classes until a vaccine has been made available.

"The aforementioned amount will be used to buy essential tools for public schools such as external drives, Wi-Fi modems, video cameras, transistor radios, learning materials and workbooks for school levels kindergarten to senior high school," Uy said.

Dr. Eufemia Gamutin, the school's division superintendent of Davao de Oro proposed the purchase of items to the school board.

Uy encouraged the public to support DepEd's shift to blended learning as well as join Brigada Eskwela, an initiative that mobilizes volunteers from all sectors in preparation for the school opening.

"This year's opening of classes fall under extraordinary times, and that helping our schools brave through this crisis is of utmost importance. We are all duty-bound to support our students. As they always say, it takes a village to educate a child. Let us be that village," Uy added.

Earlier, Uy signed a partnership agreement with the Department of Information and Communication Technology and the United Nations Development Program to install free Wi-Fi stations in the province's schools.

As an alternative mode of instruction, Z Radio will allot a four-hour schedule every day to help DepEd in the shift to blended learning.