Pupils also ‘fire victims’

CEBU, Philippines - Grade 1 and 2 pupils of the Cebu City Central School have also become indirect victims of the fire that hit Barangay Sambag 1 Sunday night after losing their classroom to families left homeless by the fire.

Parents and guardians of students complained after Barangay Sambag 1 fire victims were housed in 14 classrooms of the Grades 1 and 2 pupils, who instead had to take their classes under tents in the school’s quadrangle.

With this, the school authorities opted for an alternative scheme where the affected students will use only in the morning a separate school building used by Grade 2 students. The regular users of the building will be there in the afternoon.

“Nakita nako nga dili maayo ang situation. Luoy ang mga bata kay init kaayo ang panahon. I was there in the area at the open grounds with the students and teachers… Starting tomorrow (August 5), we will have an emergency class,” CCCS Principal Lyra Illaga told reporters yesterday.

Anticipating that classes might be affected, Illaga said she sought help from the Disaster Risk Reduction Management–Cebu City Divisions Office that initially agreed to grant her request to modify some of the students’ shifting sessions.

Instead of using makeshift classrooms, the students will now hold classes at the Ong Kin King building, which is a separate building at the back of the school’s main building.

The school decided to hold two sessions in a day, 6 a.m. to noon and noon to 6 p.m.

“Ten sections from Grade 1 and two sections from Grade 2 are for the morning shift while 2 sections from Grade 1 and 10 sections from Grade 2 for the afternoon shift,” said Illaga.

The public school is only meters away from the fire scene in Sitio Kabulihan where at least 550 individuals comprising 157 families were left homeless after the flames engulfed around 60 houses.

The affected families were first housed at the barangay’s sports complex but were transferred to the school Monday night for a temporary evacuation following Mayor Michael Rama’s orders.

At least 14 tents were put up as makeshift classrooms after at least 68 affected families were accommodated in the main building’s 14 classrooms; 12 used by Grade 1 pupils and two used by Grade 2 pupils. Around 630 pupils were affected.

Illaga said the city Quick Response Team personnel coordinated with her the day after the fire broke out for the temporary use of the classrooms. She said that she initially asked from the city government that the students be allowed to use the classrooms while the fire victims will use the tents during the day and they will transfer to the classrooms at night.

However, she said she was just surprised when the chairs and blackboards were moved outside the quadrangle on Monday.

“I then knew my request was not granted. I was not in school that time since I went for a budget hearing at a consultative meeting and returned almost 6 p.m.,” Illaga said.

She also said that she has not received complaints or remarks from any parent or guardian at her office.

“Last morning (August 4), parents were not aware of the changes. Maybe some have complained at the city disaster or were just shocked since they were not informed,” she added.

One of the parents, Catherine Luayon, said she was surprised by the changes and claimed that it was difficult for her Grade 1 daughter to sit in an open classroom.

“Dili comfortable ang mga bata kay dili nila normal nga classroom. Lisod para sa mga bata kay dili enough ang facilities,” she said in a separate interview.

Luayon, however, sympathized with the affected families, saying that students might have to sacrifice for the meantime as the families do not anywhere to stay.

Airing the same sentiments as the parents, Illaga appealed to the guardians to be patient with the shift scheme. The shift scheme is expected to run for two to three weeks until the city government can implement the reblocking of the fire-stricken area. —/BRP(FREEMAN)