Monday, July 21, 2008 Frank robbed Cebu’s schools of P59M By Elisabeth P. Baumgart Sun.Star Correspondent
PUBLIC schools in Cebu Province lost P58.6 million in property when typhoon Frank struck last June, the Department of Education (DepEd) 7 reported.
Schools in the towns of Medellin, Sta. Fe and Bantayan were the worst-hit. They lost their roofs, doors and windows as Frank swept through Cebu.
A total of 175 classrooms were damaged in Cebu Province.
Despite the loss of classrooms, DepEd 7 Director Dr. Carolino Mordeno said that classes are going on in affected areas.
“Our alternative is a double-single session scheme,” said Mordeno. The scheme allows schools to divide classes and adjust class hours in order to have two classes in a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, explained Mordeno.
Victor Yntig, DepEd 7 physical facilities coordinator, said that the damage may be higher than the initially reported P58.6 million.
“We are still waiting for more reports to come in,” said Yntig.
Reports from all divisions in Region 7 have yet to be consolidated, so the exact damage to school property in the entire region remains unknown, added Yntig.
Yntig told Sun.Star Cebu that Rep. Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu, 4th district) will be asking for a copy of DepEd 7’s consolidated damage reports in order to ask for financial aid from the Disaster Quick Response Program.
Mordeno said that the central office will release funds for the rehabilitation of all damaged schools in the region.
In reports to the regional office, however, the divisions of Danao City, Bais City, Bayawan City and Tagbilaran City said they did not suffer any damage.
“Generally, DepEd and the National Government are extending their help in the rehabilitation of the schools, but locally the cities and province have also been helping through their local school funds. The parents-teachers and community associations (PTCA) are also helping,” said Mordeno.
P506M
He added that the damage that could be easily repaired is usually addressed immediately by the local barangays or the PTCA.
With floods and heavy rain having hit schools across the region, Mordeno said that school officials should also report if schoolbooks or equipment have been damaged.
“They should submit a report so that things can be replaced,” said Mordeno.
Nationwide, the DepEd central office reported up to half a billion pesos worth of school properties damaged when typhoon Frank hit the country last June 21.
“The estimated cost of damages in school buildings caused by typhoon Frank has reached over P506 million involving 971 schools,” it said.
Region 6 is one of the hardest hit regions in the country, and Education Secretary Jesli Lapus has ordered the release of P30 million for the immediate rehabilitation of schools there.
In Frank’s aftermath, Mordeno said the education department will implement a stricter disaster preparedness plan in all schools in the region.
“Our disaster preparedness committee is in coordination with the disaster preparedness committee that is barangay-based, municipality-based, city-based. The DepEd is part of all these committees,” said Mordeno. (EPB)
