Welcome, Kapamilya! We use cookies to improve your browsing experience. Continuing to use this site means you agree to our use of cookies. Tell me more!
Typhoon damage on schools, learning materials at P12.19 billion- DepEd
Typhoon damage on schools, learning materials at P12.19 billion- DepEd
Katrina Domingo,
ABS-CBN News
Published Nov 27, 2020 03:29 PM PHT
|
Updated Nov 27, 2020 04:24 PM PHT
Generous and Lisa Jean Espenida let their learning modules dry out in the sun on November 5, 2020 as their family settles back in their neighborhood in Barangay Siramag, Balatan, Camarines Sur. Waves swept homes in the community during the onslaught of Typhoon Rolly. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File
MANILA - Recent typhoons that brought destruction across Luzon left PP12.19 billion in damage to school buildings and learning materials, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Friday.
LOOK: Estimated cost of damage of educational materials, resources due to recent series of typhoons that hit the Philippines pic.twitter.com/Iklj7aKra4
Super Typhoon Rolly destroyed 1,650 classrooms worth P6.6 billion, while damage from Typhoon Ulysses was pegged at P3.8 billion, Education Undersecretary Nepomuceno Malaluan said in a Senate hearing.
"That does not include the non-infrastructure damage," he said.
"The flooding that happened brought considerable damage to school furniture, learning materials and computers," he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Bicol region, where Super Typhoon Rolly first made landfall, was hardest hit with P9.77-billion in damage to school buildings and learning materials, followed by Central Luzon with P1.3 billion in educational infrastructure damage, data from the DepEd showed.
"There's an appeal not to cut the budget for school buildings next year," Malaluan said, noting that repairs have to be done even if students are barred from physically coming to school to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Senate Committee on Basic Education chair Sherwin Gatchalian said Congress would "continue to look for funds" to ensure that schools will be repaired before the expected resumption of physical classes next year.
"Next year, we have P4.7 billion for repairs of schools. I know it's not enough compared to the P12 billion estimated [damage], but we will continue to look for funds," he said.
Congress is expected to convene in a bicameral conference next week to iron out details of the P4.5-trillion 2021 national budget.
Under the law, the education sector needs to have the biggest chunk of the national budget annually.
ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.
Our website is made possible by displaying online
advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting
us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.
Our website is made possible by displaying online
advertisements to our visitors. Please consider supporting
us by disabling your ad blocker on our website.
