DepEd suspends classes in 19 schools affected by Taal Volcano unrest

TAAL ERUPTION EVACUATION / MARCH 28, 2022. Children from Barangay Banyaga stay at the Agoncillo Central School turned into evacuation center in Agoncillo, Batangas province with Alert Level 3 raised over Taal Volcano after a “phreatomagmatic” explosion. Around 661 residents from high-risk villages of Barangay Banyaga and Bilibinwang were ordered to evacuate. INQUIRER PHOTO / RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Education (DepEd) has suspended classes in 19 schools in areas affected by the recent unrest of the Taal Volcano to serve as evacuation centers.

“Ngayon, mayroon na tayong mga schools na ginagamit na evacuation centers,” DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones told in a briefing with President Rodrigo Duterte aired on Wednesday.

(Now, we have schools being used as evacuation centers.)

“Ang policy kasi natin originally,  dini-discourage natin na ginagamit ang ating mga schools na evacuation centers kasi mae-expose yung mga bata. But in the case of Taal and other major, major disasters, pumapayag tayo under your advice, so mayroon din tayong mga schools ngayon na ginagawa na evacuation centers,” she added.

(Our policy, originally, is we discourage the use of schools as evacuation centers because this may expose the children. But in the case of Taal and other major, major disasters, we allow it, under your advice, so we have schools serving as evacuation centers.)

She said classes have been suspended in schools in Batangas located in the permanent danger zones and areas compromised or could be compromised if the unrest of the Taal Volcano escalates.

“Nagumpisa tayo nung September ng pag-open ng classes pero yung dito sa Batangas, yung mga schools na identified as permanent danger zones, yung na-identify na they are already compromised and could be compromised pag nag-escalate ang ating pagputok ng volcano, nag-suspend tayo ng classes,” Briones said.

(We opened classes in September but in Batangas, the schools in areas identified permanent danger zones and were identified as already compromised and could be compromised in case the eruption escalates, we suspended classes.)

“Mga 19 na schools, nag-suspend na tayo ng classes dahil ang primary ano natin ay ang protection of the children,” she added.

(We have 19 schools where we suspended classes because our primary concern is the protection of children.)

Over the weekend, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology raised the alert level over Taal Volcano from 2 to 3  following a phreatomagmatic eruption at the main crater.

Briones said the DepEd continues to monitor on the safety of students in the affected areas.