70 SOS Network and Sy Figure 3 Following strict social distancing measures, some students of the bakwit school in Metro Manila stand in solidarity with other sectors in protesting against the Anti-Terrorism Law in the Philippines, whose vague provisions may include environmental defenders such as indigenous peoples Photo by Save Our Schools Network The upcoming school year Criticizing the order of the Department of Education (DepEd) to push through with the upcoming school year, concerned students and teachers across the country raised the lack of COVID-19 testing mechanisms that can ensure the safety of schools, and the sheer inaccessibility of online learning facilities—including something as basic as a good internet connection—for many families in impoverished communities and far-off reaches in the countryside. Teachers of alternative tribal schools for the Lumad face a different problem. Wi-Fi routers, laptops, and printed modules are the least of their worries as DepEd has ordered the closure of 163 Lumad school campuses in the last four years