Temporary shelters eyed to allow school reopening

MANILA, Philippines — The government is looking at establishing temporary shelters for evacuees affected by the ongoing unrest of Taal Volcano to clear out schools and allow the resumption of classes.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones yesterday said the national government has requested local officials to identify where the temporary shelters may be established.

“We are trying to solve the problem of the learners whose classes have been suspended by negotiating with the local governments… so they can identify spaces where they can put up temporary shelters for the evacuees so the children can get back to school,” she said.

As of yesterday, more than 170 schools in the cities of Batangas, Lipa and Tanauan in Batangas province as well as several schools in Cavite and Laguna provinces were being used as evacuation centers. This translated to the disruption in the classes of about 1.8 million students.

The schools are used to house over 38,000 people who fled their homes because of the volcanic unrest.

While there are no specific plans yet, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea said the government is eyeing a three-hectare lot in Bauan, Batangas as a site that either the evacuees or the students could use in the meantime.

Classes there remain suspended as the volcano remains under Alert Level 4, which means that a hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours or days.

Briones reiterated her call for local government units to establish evacuation centers to prevent the use of schools during calamities. – With Christina Mendez