Classes still suspended in some MM schools

MANILA, Philippines – Classes will remain suspended in some parts of Metro Manila as several public schools are still flooded following the onslaught of Typhoon “Frank” over the weekend.

The Department of Education (DepEd) said in an advisory that classes would remain suspended in schools in the Camanava (Caloocan-Malabon-Navotas-Valenzuela) area worst hit by floods during the storm.

Classes will remain suspended in Dampalit 1 Elementary School, Dampalit Main Elementary School, Panghulo National High School, all in Malabon; Tangos 1 Elementary School, Niugan Elementary School and Tonsuya Elementary School, in Navotas; and Coloong Elementary School in the Valenzuela City.

DepEd reiterated the default system for the automatic suspension of classes, which provided that classes in pre-schools are automatically suspended when Storm Signal No. 1 is raised by the state weather bureau and classes in pre-school, elementary, and secondary are automatically suspended when Storm Signal No. 2 is raised.

“Furthermore, and depending on actual conditions in a locality, the local government and school authorities may exercise their discretion to suspend classes,” DepEd added.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said their latest estimate of damage to school buildings nationwide reached over P291 million.

He said a total of 449 schools have been destroyed.  

Lapus had already ordered the immediate rehabilitation of affected schools.

Aside from Metro Manila, which has 21 affected school buildings with damage placed at almost P38 million, the other region heavily affected by Typhoon Frank was Region 6 or Central Visayas, which reported a total of 141 damaged schools with an estimated cost of some P30.3 million.