DepEd to relocate schools devastated by ‘Sendong’

Up to three schools destroyed in the devastating floods that ripped through Northern Mindanao in the wake of storm “Sendong” will be relocated to safer ground, Education Secretary Armin Luistro announced Saturday.

Following a visit earlier to the worst-hit cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, Luistro also vowed to strictly observe the environment department’s geohazard mapping in the construction of schools.

“Essentially, we have two schools that were totally washed out which we no longer intend to rebuild. They were already determined to be in the geohazard area,” Luistro told the Inquirer.

“And there is perhaps a third one.  I said we will not rebuild them anymore but relocate them,” he said. “The President’s marching orders is to relocate residents in the area so probably, we really don’t have to rebuild the schools there.”

He said the Department of Education will coordinate with other officials involved in relocation of affected residents.

In the meantime, Luistro has instructed engineers to speed up repairs of damaged schools or build makeshift classrooms to ensure that students return to class by Jan. 3.

He said resuming classes in storm-hit areas as scheduled along with the rest of public schools nationwide would help affected students cope with what they had gone through, and eventually move on.

The department has allotted P20 million for the repair of 39 schools. Damage was estimated at P106 million.