Evacuees rest at an evacuation center in Tanaun, Batangas province, on the southern Philippines on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020. Taal volcano is spewing ash half a mile high and trembling with earthquakes constantly as thousands of people flee villages darkened and blanketed by heavy ash. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has ordered schools to accept student-transferees from areas affected by the Taal Volcano eruption even without the necessary documents.
In a memorandum, DepEd said this move was among its emergency measures in response to the eruption of Taal, which has displaced thousands of families from their homes in Batangas and nearby provinces.
“All public schools where displaced learners from Region IV-A will seek to be accommodated are directed to accept these emergency transferees even with the unavailability or insufficiency of the required transfer credentials,” the memorandum dated January 15 read.
DepEd also ordered schools to track the learners’ information including their full name, age, address, Learner Reference Number (LRN), and school origin.
Teaching and non-teaching personnel shall be deployed to evacuation centers “to conduct an inventory of school-age children” and “facilitate their endorsement to receiving schools” as well, DepEd added.
DepEd also asked schools to provide information on teaching and non-teaching personnel, who were affected by the Taal Volcano eruption.
Alert Level 4 remains hoisted over Taal Volcano, which spewed ashes on January 12 eventually forcing thousands of families to evacuate and suspend classes in the affected areas.