After two years of online learning, children in the Philippines returned to school… for one day. In a country where multi-generational households are very common, the return to in-person schooling was steeply delayed with the fear that kids would pass on the virus to elders. The Philippines was one of the countries worst impacted by the pandemic in Asia, leading to incredibly strict protection measures. However, the nation, already struggling with education before the pandemic, needed to open due to concerns regarding illiteracy. In fact, UNICEF stated that “many children in the Philippines [are] failing to read and understand a simple text by age 10.” Nearly half of Filipino children are returning back to in-person school while the rest will be attending a mix of online and in-person until November, when the Philippines hopes to fully return to in-person education. Children returned to school August 22, but Tropical Storm Ma On made landfall the next day. Ma On caused widespread flooding, unfortunately leading schools in the Northern Philippines to shut down after only one day. Schools have since reopened after the storm ran its course.