Central Luzon was the hardest-hit region, accounting for 3,596 damaged classrooms, or about 41% of the national total, across 412 schools. About 126,584 students were affected in the region. Pampanga recorded the most damaged classrooms in Central Luzon at 1,689, followed by Bulacan with 933.
The weather disruptions have cost schools as many as 12 instructional days in parts of Central Luzon, particularly in Pampanga and Zambales, the department said.
“Kaya agad tayong nagbaba ng suporta sa ating mga paaralan—mula sa paglilinis hanggang sa pagpapalit ng mga nasirang modules. Hindi natin hahayaang matigil ang edukasyon ng kabataan dahil lang sa hagupit ng bagyo,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said during a situation briefing.
DepEd said 1,066 classrooms in 291 schools were also being used as evacuation centers for 9,068 displaced families. In Central Luzon, 237 classrooms in 78 schools were sheltering 1,951 families.
The government initially needs 318.01 million peso for cleanup and minor repairs at the affected schools, DepEd said.
In Central Luzon, the immediate requirement was estimated at 109.71 million pesos, including 12.69 million pesos for debris removal and sanitation and 97.02 million pesos for minor repairs to 1,980 classrooms.
DepEd said it would use its disaster response funds and seek additional funding from the Department of Budget and Management. It is also working with the labor department to tap its emergency employment program for school cleanup and clearing operations.
Longer-term repairs and reconstruction could cost 2.604 billion pesos nationwide, including 359 million pesos for major repairs at 718 schools and 2.245 billion pesos to rebuild 898 schools, the department said.
The storms have also damaged learning materials, prompting emergency reprinting and procurement of 23,154 self-learning modules.
In flood-hit Tarlac City, DepEd said alternative learning arrangements under its Project Rescue literacy recovery program had reached 65,734 students.
The department has instructed schools to use a four-level framework to determine how learning should continue during emergencies, ranging from full suspension to continued classes, depending on safety and local conditions.
DepEd is also seeking to revise the country's rules on class suspensions and resumptions, replacing Executive Order No. 66 issued in 2012.
Under the proposed policy, suspensions would be categorized as automatic, localized or granular. It would also allow individual schools deemed safe to resume face-to-face classes even when classes remain suspended elsewhere in the same city, subject to safety assessments and local government approval.
Affected teaching and non-teaching personnel may also access up to 150,000 pesos through the DepEd Provident Fund Loan, as well as emergency and calamity loans through the Government Service Insurance System and private lenders.
Flexible work and work-from-home arrangements remain available in affected school divisions.###
