Five learners died after a landslide struck Barangay Guisad Surong in Baguio City amid eight days of continuous rains in the Cordillera region, the Department of Education (DepEd) confirmed on Tuesday.

The victims were two Grade 7 learners from Guisad Valley National High School, a Grade 3 learner and a Grade 4 learner from Bonifacio Elementary School, and one learner enrolled under the Alternative Learning System (ALS), DepEd said.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of five of our learners in the landslide in Barangay Guisad Surong, Baguio City, following eight days of continuous rains across the region,” the department said in a statement.

The landslide struck Guisad Surong on Sunday night, burying several houses. Search and rescue teams recovered victims from the debris as authorities accounted for those reported missing. By Tuesday morning, the Baguio City Public Information Office said the landslide had killed 10 people, with all 13 individuals initially reported missing accounted for. 

The continuing rains have also disrupted basic education operations across the country. As of 8 a.m. Tuesday, DepEd reported 9,890 public schools in eight regions with active in-person class suspensions, affecting about 6.51 million learners and 284,725 personnel.

The affected schools were in Regions I, II, III, IV-A, IV-B, the National Capital Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region and Region VI.

DepEd also reported that 134 schools were being used as evacuation centers, with 522 classrooms accommodating 2,815 families.

Rapid assessments showed damage to 5,525 classrooms: 3,297 had minor damage, 1,135 had major damage and 1,093 were totally damaged. A total of 961 schools had reported damage.

The department estimated that P26.998 million was needed for cleanup and clearing operations in the 961 damaged schools, while P161.553 million was required for minor repairs to 3,297 classrooms.

DepEd said its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service had started processing the first batch of funds for cleanup and minor repairs.

In Baguio, DepEd said its field offices were coordinating with local governments and disaster-response agencies as class suspensions remained in place. 

It was also assessing damaged school infrastructure, with particular attention to slope protection and other measures intended to address safety risks in school campuses.

DepEd urged the education community to remember the learners who died and their families.

“We ask the entire education community to join us in keeping the families, the victims, and the Cordillera region in our prayers,” the department said.