• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The municipal government of La Castellana is requesting the Department of Education (DepEd) to allow internally displaced persons (IDPs) affected by the devastation of Typhoon Tino to remain in schools used as evacuation centers, Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (LDRRMO) head John de Asis said on Friday (Nov. 28).
Based on the DepEd guidelines, evacuees can stay in school evacuation centers for a maximum of 15 days to minimize disruption to education of learners.
During the Typhoon Tino on Nov. 4, about 1,500 homes in 13 barangays were destroyed by flooding.
De Asis said the local government unit is preparing a vacant lot in Barangay Robles, where temporary pre-fabricated modular tents will be set up by the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development and the Office of Civil Defense to accommodate at least 100 homeless families.
Riverbanks in La Castellana and Moises Padilla have already been declared by the government as no-build zones, following the massive flooding in central Negros, which claimed the lives of 96 persons and left 40 others remained missing.
Meanwhile, the municipal government of Moises Padilla has adopted the updated learning delivery modalities for all public schools starting Dec. 1.
Face-to-face classes will resume following the lifting of the temporary suspension previously imposed due to the impact of Tropical Depression Verbena.
Mayor Ella Celestina Garcia-Yulo has approved the learning schedule submitted by Schools District Supervisor Gideon Panganiban.
The lifting of class suspension was based on the latest report of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Administration indicating improved weather conditions as well as the LDRRMO assessment confirming that the situation in the municipality has stabilized.
The mayor’s executive order mandates all schools to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment as classes resume after recent weather disturbances.
“While the majority of schools will resume standard face-to-face instruction, several others will continue with modular or blended learning, depending on their specific local conditions and ongoing recovery efforts from recent storms,” Yulo said.
Yulo said the local government will continue supporting the DepEd to ensure schools remain safe, orderly, and suitable for learners and to protect teachers and school personnel as the municipality moves forward with its overall recovery efforts. | GB
