Classes to resume today in Sapangdaku

CEBU, Philippines - Classes of Sapangdaku Elementary School in Barangay Sapangdaku, Cebu City will resume today at the barangay hall after three days of suspension due to a heavy downpour causing the river to overflow last week.

The Cebu City Disaster and Risk Reduction Council headed by Councilor David Tumulak and Sapangdaku Barangay Captain Lorna Damalerio announced it yesterday.

“Mag-start na ang klase ugma (today). Preparations have already been done so okay na,” Damalerio told The Freeman.

Temporarily, over 500 students will attend classes at the three-storey barangay hall since Rama will no longer allow any operations at the existing school building at the riverbank. To accommodate all students, the barangay officials had installed dividers to transform four rooms into eight classrooms.

Tumulak said the children are safe at the temporary school since it is 200 meters away from the river and is elevated. Rama said that the location of the school poses danger to the students knowing that the river will easily overflow.

In 2007, the area also experienced tremendous flooding because of obstruction in the river preventing the water from flowing into the stream. Rama met with the parents of the students asking them to cooperate and understand the school’s present situation.

But some of the parents allegedly complained about the possible situation of their children at the temporary school.

“Ang ubang ginikanan nireklamo kay huot kuno. Gihangyo nga magtinabangay ug magkahiusa na lamang ang tanan alang sa atong mga tinun-an. Di nata maghuwat nga dunay mahitabo usa pa kita mobalhin,” Damalerio said.

“Ang barangay officials ni-sakripisyo na gani aron ma-accommodate ang atong mga estudyante aron sila malayo sa unsa mang katalagman duol sa sapa,” she added.

Moreover, the city’s disaster council is set to meet to discuss the construction of a new school building near the barangay hall. The expenses would be charged against the Special Education Fund and disaster fund.

The council is still waiting for the submission of the Program of Works and Estimate by the Department of Engineering and Public Works to start the project. —/FPL (FREEMAN)