Typhoons did P1B damage to schools
DAMAGE to school buildings caused by multiple typhoons has reached about P1 billion in 10 regions, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday. In a radio interview, Education Undersecretary for Disaster Risk Reduction Service Revsee Escobedo said 110 out of 280 schools division offices were affected by typhoons Nica, Ofel and Pepito, with an initial count of 323 classrooms destroyed and 507 needing major repairs. Escobedo also said 209 schools were also being used as evacuation centers due to Pepito. The count does not include the damage caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, where 16 regions were affected, equivalent to around P5 billion worth of damage to schools, infrastructure and facilities. The DepEd, Escobedo said, has a quick reaction fund for school disaster repairs worth P2.1 billion, but with the damage due to Kristine, they are looking to augment the fund from the Office of the President to cover the remaining cost of damage. Meanwhile, Escobedo said that aside from the Cordillera Administrative Region, which has lost 36 school days, the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions also lost 30 school days, followed by the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) with 28 days and 23 school days for the Bicol Region. Metro Manila has lost 20 school days. He said there would be make-up classes in regions that have a high number of school days lost, with Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Cordillera regional directors committing to hold these classes. "Others would allot additional time. For example, in Kinder 1-3, instead of four hours in the classroom, they will just spend five ours to compensate for the lost school days. Other regional directors have decided that they will use the academic break of Nov. 25-29 for make-up classes," Escobedo said. He also said that Education Secretary Sonny Angara had ordered schools to intensify the alternative delivery mode of learning and enforce the dynamic learning program. Escobedo also said DepEd would revise Department Order 37 series of 2022 or the policies and guidelines on school cancellations or suspensions due to natural disasters to change how school classes are suspended, especially during a public storm warning Signal No. 1. "Signal No. 1 serves as a warning, and while it's only light rains and a bit sunny, classes are automatically suspended, which contributes to the school days lost, which could lead to learning loss," he said.
Tomas Kauer - Moderator 
DAMAGE to school buildings caused by multiple typhoons has reached about P1 billion in 10 regions, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday.
In a radio interview, Education Undersecretary for Disaster Risk Reduction Service Revsee Escobedo said 110 out of 280 schools division offices were affected by typhoons Nica, Ofel and Pepito, with an initial count of 323 classrooms destroyed and 507 needing major repairs.
Escobedo also said 209 schools were also being used as evacuation centers due to Pepito.
The count does not include the damage caused by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine, where 16 regions were affected, equivalent to around P5 billion worth of damage to schools, infrastructure and facilities.
The DepEd, Escobedo said, has a quick reaction fund for school disaster repairs worth P2.1 billion, but with the damage due to Kristine, they are looking to augment the fund from the Office of the President to cover the remaining cost of damage.
Meanwhile, Escobedo said that aside from the Cordillera Administrative Region, which has lost 36 school days, the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions also lost 30 school days, followed by the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) with 28 days and 23 school days for the Bicol Region. Metro Manila has lost 20 school days.
He said there would be make-up classes in regions that have a high number of school days lost, with Bicol, Eastern Visayas and Cordillera regional directors committing to hold these classes.
"Others would allot additional time. For example, in Kinder 1-3, instead of four hours in the classroom, they will just spend five ours to compensate for the lost school days. Other regional directors have decided that they will use the academic break of Nov. 25-29 for make-up classes," Escobedo said.
He also said that Education Secretary Sonny Angara had ordered schools to intensify the alternative delivery mode of learning and enforce the dynamic learning program.
Escobedo also said DepEd would revise Department Order 37 series of 2022 or the policies and guidelines on school cancellations or suspensions due to natural disasters to change how school classes are suspended, especially during a public storm warning Signal No. 1.
"Signal No. 1 serves as a warning, and while it's only light rains and a bit sunny, classes are automatically suspended, which contributes to the school days lost, which could lead to learning loss," he said.
