by: Charles Nikko Limon
More than 700 classrooms across the Cordillera region were damaged during the onslaught of Super Typhoon Uwan, according to the Department of Education (DepEd) Cordillera.
Most of the classrooms sustained roof damage due to strong winds.
After two days of class suspension, students of Santo Tomas National High School in Barangay Santo Tomas School Area, Baguio City, returned to school.
However, one Grade 9 classroom remained unused after its ceiling collapsed during the typhoon.
“When the security guard was making his rounds, he saw that the ceiling had collapsed because of the strong winds,” said School Head Jayson Pascad.
The affected students were temporarily transferred to other classrooms while repairs were being planned.
According to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) Office of DepEd Baguio Division, Santo Tomas National High School was among the few schools in the city that reported minor damages.
“As of now, 28 schools in the division have reported no significant damage, just a few leaks caused by the wind and rain,” said Cliftone Bangse-Il, DRRM Coordinator of DepEd Baguio City.
However, other schools in the Cordillera region were not as fortunate.
In Benguet, strong winds blew off the roofs of three buildings at Labinio-Acquisio Elementary School in Bakun, while a makeshift classroom at Catlubong National High School in Buguias collapsed after a tree fell and a landslide occurred nearby.
In Mountain Province, members of the Bureau of Fire Protection and the Philippine National Police helped transfer school materials at Sagada Central School after several buildings lost their roofs.
Similar incidents were reported at Pingad National High School in Sabangan and Tadian School of Arts and Trade in Tadian, where roofs were torn off and debris scattered.
At Kadaclan National High School in Barlig, classrooms were filled with mud and floodwater, while in Kalinga, the Lubo Elementary School in Tanudan was washed out by rampaging floodwaters and logs from Gappu River.
Meanwhile, in Ifugao, strong winds nearly uprooted a tree beside Alfonso Lista Central School, and in Abra, several classrooms at Tineg Central School were soaked after their roofs were peeled off.
DepEd Cordillera reported that of the 700 damaged classrooms, 92 were totally destroyed, 148 sustained major damage, and 461 had minor damage.
The province of Abra accounted for the highest number, with 370 damaged classrooms.
“Each school has its own DRRM allotment fund and contingency plan that they implement during emergencies like this,” said Cyrille Gaye Miranda, Unit Head of DepEd CAR’s Regional Public Affairs Office.
Despite the extent of the damage, DepEd assured that learning will continue. “We’re implementing the Alternative Delivery Mode. Some schools are using printed modules so students can still continue learning while repairs are ongoing,” Miranda added.
DepEd said the number of damaged classrooms could still increase as ongoing assessments continue across other provinces in the region.
