By John Noel E. Herrera
The Department of Education (DepEd) needs an additional P18 billion for the repair, rehabilitation or reconstruction of schools damaged during the recent calamities or disasters that hit the country.
DepEd Spokesperson Michael Poa said in a press conference that the department continues to monitor the damages in schools brought by recent typhoons and earthquakes.
She explained that the fund is needed for the rehabilitation of schools that were destroyed during the earthquake in Abra and the onslaught of typhoons “Odette” and “Agaton” in December 2021 and April 2022, respectively.
Recent data also showed that the number of affected schools increased and the education department is continuously looking for quick interventions and options for the affected areas.
Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte has already requested the office of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for an additional P16 billion.
However, the additional fund will just only cover the rehabilitation of those schools hit by typhoons “Odette” and “Agaton”.
In Western Visayas, typhoon “Odette” destroyed 206,729 learning materials and 166 public schools which needed P1.1 billion for its rehabilitation.
The department’s Rapid Assessment of Damages Report (RADAR) during that time also showed that 380 classrooms were totally damaged and 397 more were partially damaged.
Meanwhile, over P600,000 worth of learning materials and 185 classrooms in Western Visayas were also destroyed during the onslaught of Tropical Depression Agaton.
The damaged schools were also under the schools’ division offices of Capiz, Iloilo, and Aklan.
As of this writing, there was no confirmation yet from the DepEd-6 on the number of schools in Western Visayas that still needed repair, including the department’s estimated amount needed for the rehabilitation.
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