Typhoon Carina washes out cleanup gains in Brigada Eskwela, forcing teachers to start again
Situation of Looc National High School last week during Typhoon Carina. | Photo by Frances Hiteroza-Javier Endaya
While Typhoon Carina has exited the country, teachers lament the aftermath it left on their classrooms as the disaster disrupted their ongoing cleanup efforts under Brigada Eskwela. Many had to start all over again.
Ma. Frances Hiteroza-Javier Endaya, a teacher at Looc National High School in Batangas, shared her school’s situation on Facebook. Her photo shows their school compound flooded knee-deep.
Endaya explained that they had planned to clean and repaint classrooms to resume efforts under their Brigada Eskwela but could not proceed due to the storm’s impact.
“Kung may nakapag-umpisa man ay balik po sa simula (If anyone has already started, they have to go back to the beginning),” she added, noting that essential cleaning supplies, like brooms and mops, had been submerged in water.
Aside from the effort, Teacher Jo Suarez from Caloocan said the typhoon also put to waste the funds that teachers shell out from their own pockets to contribute to the expenses for Brigada Eskwela.
“Marami akong friend na teacher, halos maiyak na dahil lahat ng gamit na pinaghirapan nila para sa bata na galing sa sarili nilang bulsa, inanod ng baha. Mga nagbrigada at gumastos sa pintura na mga kaguruan pero mag-uumpisa ulit sa una [I have many friends who are teachers, and they were almost in tears because all the materials they painstakingly bought for the children from their own pockets were washed away by the flood. Teachers who volunteered and spent money on paint are now starting all over again from scratch],” said Suarez.
Another teacher, Wheng Marasigan Reyes, who lives in Caloocan, described how she found classrooms and offices flooded when she visited her school.
“Buti napadaan ako sa school at ayan na nga pinasok na ng baha (It’s a good thing I passed by the school, and there it is, the flood has already entered),” she wrote.
Reyes shared photos and videos showing the extent of the flooding, which reached thigh-deep levels in some areas.
The floodwaters not only damaged the school infrastructure but also destroyed essential appliances in classrooms, including electric fans, chairs and chalkboards.
Additionally, many important documents and forms belonging to teachers were ruined in the deluge, further complicating the recovery efforts.
Urgent donations
Some teachers have turned to social media to call for urgent assistance in preparation for class openings, many of which had been move to August 5.
Endaya appealed for in-kind donations, such as paint, rugs, brooms and trash bins, saying, “Ano man po ang inyong ipagkaloob ay lubos po naming tatanggapin (We will wholeheartedly accept whatever you can provide).”
Brigada Eskwela, also known as National Schools Maintenance Week, engages various community stakeholders to prepare schools for the academic year.
This year’s theme, “Bayanihan para sa Matatag na Paaralan,” emphasizes community cooperation in ensuring schools are ready for students.
With many class opening schedules moved to August 5, teachers remain hopeful for support to arrive and restore their classrooms to a safe environment for learning.
