Rains damage some 4,000 classrooms
The Department of Education (DepEd) said on Monday that some 4,000 classrooms have been damaged by the continuing rains.
The DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service said 722 schools have been affected by the inclement weather, with 751 classrooms totally damaged, 818 classrooms sustaining major damage and 2,355 classrooms, minor damage. These figures totaled 3,924 classrooms damaged as of Monday.
The department also reported damage to 5,368 chairs, 380 information and communications technology equipment units, and 6,227 learning materials.
Evacuation centers
The weather disturbances—from the combined effects of the southwest monsoon or “habagat” and the recent storms that had enhanced it—have also affected 6,517,252 learners and 288,967 personnel across 10,029 public schools.
Meanwhile, 52 schools are currently being used as evacuation centers, with 239 classrooms serving as shelter for 1,057 families.
The disaster management unit of DepEd said it has begun processing emergency funds, as it estimated cleanup operations to cost P20.418 million for 722 affected schools and minor repairs to cost P115.395 million for 2,355 classrooms.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara said, “In times like these, safety should be the first priority.”
“There are situations when we need to stop, others when we need to pause and recover, some when we can slow down through adjusted learning, and others when we can return to regular learning once conditions normalize,” he said.
Situation on Metro roads
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday said Metro Manila saw less severe flooding despite the heavy rains for over a week now, as the agency cited “a significant improvement” in its drain-clearing operations, among other efforts.
MMDA Chair Don Artes said President Marcos is “pleased with the improvements,” but he still ordered the MMDA and other agencies to intensify their flood control efforts.
But Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon could not help but curse upon finding potholes during his inspection of a rehabilitated portion of the Edsa busway southbound near Buendia Avenue.
In a video posted on Sunday night by the Department of Public Works and Highways, Dizon was heard exclaiming, “What happened? New [repairs] but it turned out like this? Son of a b****, really. We should have anticipated this. It’s clogged, see?”
“What happened here is, since this is the lowest point of Edsa rehabilitation phase 1, all the water flowing down here is left as it is. We don’t have a drainage here,” he later explained.
Dizon said his agency, for the time being, would install ducts to drain the water. He also said the potholes would be fixed. —WITH REPORTS FROM DEXTER CABALZA, ZACARIAN SARAO AND JASON SIGALES
