No delay in June 1 school opening
DESPITE the heavy damage caused by Typhoon Emong in the 1st district of the province, there will be no postponement in the scheduled June 1 opening of classes in the area.
Dr. Aurora Domingo, schools division superintendent of Pangasinan 1 that covers the typhoon-devastated towns of Anda, Bolinao, Bani, Mabini, Agno and Sual, said only a few schools could suffer a delay but that, she said, would already be “the worst case scenario”.
In the aftermath of the typhoon that hit the district on May 7, Domingo initially estimated damages to school buildings at P113 million. She expects the number to go higher after a full survey of the affected areas is completed.
Chapels of various religious sects, including the Catholic Church, as well as gymnasiums will be used as temporary classrooms while rehabilitation work is being carried out. About 95% of all the schools were destroyed.
Domingo credited the different religious groups for offering their spaces as temporary schools.
“We cannot use under-the-mango tree classroom because even our mango trees inside the school compounds were uprooted,” she said.
She also praised the community for guarding against the theft of building materials from the schools damaged by the typhoon.
Determined to avoid disruption in the school opening, she added that the schools division intends to put up tents in all available areas inside the school compounds in order to accommodate all classes and forestall a delay in the start of classes.
“Maski saang lugar na pwedeng masilungan, gagamitin namin,” said Domingo, formerly the schools division superintendent of Dagupan City that was also badly hit by super typhoon, Cosme in May last year
Students have been assured that schoolbooks will also be available to them. Learning from last year’s devastation, public school teachers in the 1st district immediately carried out a text brigade to get the books to safe locations.
Domingo called on the Department of Education to help them fast-track the rehabilitation of the school facilities.
FOOD-FOR-WORK
In a related development, Mayor Marcelo Navarro Jr. of Bani, one of the worst hit towns, has appealed to President Gloria Arroyo to implement a food-for-work scheme to help the victims of the calamity.
In a telephone interview with The PUNCH, Navarro said about 5,000 residents would benefit from his proposal, which he said would eliminate the dole-out mentality.
“Food-for-work shall be done by people, preferably one member per worst-affected family, so they can have something to eat while the rest of the members of the family focus on the rebuilding or repair of their dilapidated houses,” he said.
The proposed work program will involve assisting the local government in the ongoing clearing operations in government-owned structures such as schools, day care centers, barangay halls, and health centers, among others.
Distribution of relief good is currently being carried out but Domingo said funds are not sufficient to continue it for an extended period.
Based on their final report, totally damaged houses in Bani total 6,718 while partially damaged were 2,598.#
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