MANILA, Philippines — After a series of earthquakes jolted parts of Mindanao, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Wednesday it needs over P2 billion to repair the damaged classrooms.
DepEd Undersecretary Annalyn Sevilla said P2.25 billion is needed to reconstruct and rehabilitate schools torn by the powerful tremors that hit different provinces in the southern region.
“Tumataas po ‘yung number ng nakikita nating mga damage atsaka po syempre yung cost nito ay tumataas na din. Yesterday, we reported about P1.9 billion na po ‘yung amount nung damage. But as of yesterday 6 p.m., tumaas na po sa P2.25 billion,” Sevilla said in an interview with CNN Philippines.
(The number of damage is increasing and at the same time, its cost is also increasing. Yesterday, we reported about P1.9 billion cost of damage. But as of yesterday 6 p.m., it increased to P2.25 billion.)
Regions covered by DepEd’s estimates were Davao, Soccskcargen, Northern Mindanao, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), according to Sevilla.
Latest data from DepEd’s Disaster Risk Reduction Management Service (DRRMS) showed the cost of reconstruction of schools is pegged at P1.7 billion while the cost of repair and rehabilitation is at P496 million.
Sevilla said Region 12 or Soccskcargen had the highest number of damaged schools at 526.
“Ang pinakamalaki po ay nasa Region 12. About 526 schools po natin ang talagang meron ang affected or major na po ang damages,” Sevilla said.
(The biggest number is in Region 12. About 526 schools were affected or had major damage.)
DepEd’s data reported that a total of 837 schools suffered damage: 87 in Northern Mindanao, 216 in Davao region, 526 in Soccskcargen, and eight in BARMM.
Sevilla noted DepEd is already working with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to inspect the schools damaged by the quake.
“DPWH is the one taking care of the inspection dahil sa kanila po ‘yung construction although ‘yung pondo at ‘yung identification ng mga eskwelahan ay galing sa DepEd,” Sevilla said.
(DPWH is the one taking care of the inspection because the construction is under their agency, but the funding and identification of schools would come from the DepEd.)
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