City donating learning materials to Baksan Elementary School

The city government will be providing learning materials to the Baksan Elementary School in barangay Sapangdaku after all the books, bags and other school supplies used by students were either drenched or washed away by flashfloods last month.

Councilor Gerardo Carillo, chairman of the city council’s committee on education and Cebu City Disaster Council’s action officer told reporters yesterday that they just received a request from school officials for replacement of their damaged school materials.

Likewise, Carillo said that the barangay also presented the site where the school will be relocated because the location of the school is not safe especially during flashfloods.

The councilor earlier said that the school is within the three-meter easement of the bank of the Guadalupe River and is in danger of being flooded, or worse, being washed away during flashfloods.

“But we still have to discuss with students asa ang appropriate nga lugar para sa ilahang skwelahan,” Carillo said.

Baksan Elementary School was flooded and all the learning materials were destroyed last September 12.

The flashfloods also destroyed several houses along the riverbanks and caused hundreds of families to flee their homes.  It also caused damage to infrastructure worth P20 million.

Following the catastrophe, the city council immediately declared Sapangdaku, along with the other 10 barangays located along the banks of the Guadalupe River under a state of calamity and provided assistance to the affected families like food and temporary shelter.

But with regards to the school materials and transfer of the school building, Carillo said that it may take time because they have to follow the process.

“Since we will be using our calamity funds, we still have to undergo the bidding process,” he said. — Wenna A. Berondo/BRP