Classes resume in most schools

MANILA, Philippines - Classes resumed yesterday in several schools although major roads are still being cleared of debris and electricity has yet to be fully restored.

In Mandaluyong, classes in all levels resume today, according to city public information officer Jimmy Isidro.

However, classes remain suspended in the cities of Pasay and Las Piñas.

Las Piñas Mayor Vergel Aguilar suspended classes in all levels in private and public schools to allow their repair and cleanup.

In Pasay City, Mayor Antonino Calixto suspended classes in the primary and secondary levels in public schools, as well as in the City University of Pasay.

Classes are suspended only in public schools, according to the Pasay City public information office.

In private schools, it would be up to the administrators to suspend classes.

In Batangas, classes in all levels in public and private and schools remain suspended today.

Speaking for Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos, Vice Gov. Mark Leviste said classes remain suspended due to the damage several schools sustained from Typhoon Glenda and the lack of power supply all over the province.

The following areas also suspended classes for today: Cavite (all levels, public and private); Muntinlupa (pre-school to high school, public and private); Ateneo de Manila Grade School; Saint Francis of Assisi College (all levels in all campuses); Saint Anthony School (all levels in all campuses); Adamson University, Miriam College and De La Salle University Science and Technology Complex which has suspended classes and work until tomorrow.

De La Salle University-Dasmariñas has also suspended classes until tomorrow.

Education Secretary Armin Luistro said about 50 percent of 115 Department of Education (DepEd) division offices in 12 regions affected by Glenda resumed classes yesterday.

About 25,856 schools are in the affected division offices, he added.

Luistro said a total of 187 schools have been used as temporary evacuation centers since preparations for the typhoon started.

“What we have now are just initial reports, although the effects of the typhoon were widespread, it was not as devastating as Yolanda,” he said.

Luistro said it took one or two weeks before classes resumed in areas hit by Super Typhoon Yolanda on Nov. 8 last year.

“If we based it on the resumption of classes, it appears that the damage on schools is not as widespread as last year’s typhoon,” he said in Filipino.

Luistro said they could not get data from other division offices as they remained without power yesterday.

DepEd is still assessing the extent of Glenda’s damage on public school buildings, he added.

Luistro said they will use the DepEd’s quick response fund for 2014 in repairing damaged schools. – Helen Flores, Non Alquitran, Perseus Echeminada, Ed Amoroso