P308M school damage, evacuation concerns rise after typhoon Carina
Photos courtesy of DepEd Tayo Rosalio Eduarte NHS Facebook page.
Super Typhoon Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon inflicted an estimated P308 million in damage to school infrastructure, the Department of Education said on July 24.
The storm damaged 45 schools, mainly in the Cordillera and Ilocos regions, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and Eastern Visayas.
To add to the crisis, 21 schools in Metro Manila and Calabarzon are now evacuation centers, disrupting classes for thousands of students.
Education Secretary Sonny Angara promised to assess the damage quickly and deploy help.
He also warned of the looming La Niña and plans to prepare schools and students for more disasters.
Meanwhile, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chair of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, has renewed his push for dedicated evacuation centers. He said using schools as evacuation centers disrupts learning.
“Dahil madalas tayong nakakaranas ng mga kalamidad tulad ng bagyo at baha, mahalagang tiyakin natin ang kahandaan ng ating bansang rumesponde, kabilang ang pagbibigay ng pansamantalang tirahan sa mga nasalanta [Because we frequently experience calamities like typhoons and floods, it’s crucial to ensure our country is ready to respond, including providing temporary shelter for those affected],” Gatchalian said in a statement.
“Bahagi ng pagpapaigting ng ating kakayahang rumesponde sa mga kalamidad ang pagkakaroon ng mga evacuation center, at napapanahon nang simulan natin ang pagpapatayo sa bawat lungsod at munisipalidad [Building evacuation centers is part of strengthening our disaster response capability, and it’s high time we start building them in every city and municipality],” he added.
Gatchalian’s Ligtas Pinoy Centers Act (Senate Bill No. 2451) aims to build evacuation centers in all cities and municipalities that can withstand super typhoons and strong earthquakes.
