MANILA, Philippines - At least 3,200 public schools in areas battered by super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) have been destroyed by the calamity, the Department of Education (DepEd) said on Monday.
Education Secretary Armin Luistro said the figure is based on estimates made by the school principals and teachers in the provinces of Leyte and Samar.
"Ito yung initial report ng ating mga principal o kaya teacher dun sa eskwelahan pero wala naman silang engineering background. Halimbawa sa Leyte, sa buong probinsya, mga 100 classrooms... pero sa palagay ko tataas pa ito," Luistro said in a radio interview.
Luistro also called on DepEd personnel in the Yolanda-devastated areas to hold classes even in evacuation centers just to have an accounting or headcount of the students.
"Yung aming ginagawa palagi. Kailangan ibalik namin kaagad ang normalidad doon sa pagbubukas ng klase kahit makeshift classrooms lamang. Kasi nakikita namin yung mga bata kahit makeshift classroom lang sya kahit sa evacuation center mismo meron kaming mga activities kahit yung mga debriefing. Ito'y mahalagang magampanan.
"So ang aking panawagan sa lahat ng ating principal kung puwede talagang magkaroon na ng klase, at halimbawa safe na, kahit magkaroon man lang kahit attendance check, flag ceremony. Tapos magkwentuhan lang yung mga bata kasi iyun ang pinakaimportante para sa amin," Luistro added.
He also reported that the seven division offices in Leyte-Samar areas are now operational. The Deped has also setup an operation center in Tacloban City, one of the hardest hit by Yolanda.
"Ang ginagawa po namin basta may Deped na guro o kaya estudyante na napapadaan, ipinapalista na po namin para makatulong din kami sa listahan ng mga missing kung nandun pa po sila," Luistro said, noting that some 10,000 relief bags have been given directly to DepEd personnel affected by the calamity.
Luistro also called on the DepEd personnel to be lenient in asking documents from students from the typhoon-hit areas who want to transfer to other schools.
"Sinabihan ko na po ang lahat ng public schools at nanawagan na rin po tayo sa private schools na ganitong panahon ng kalamidad. Lahat po ng nagta-transfer merong record man yan o wala kung maari nilang tanggapin muna.
"At hiningi ko po sa lahat ng principal na ipadala kahit na sa division office o central office nung mga pangalan nung mga walang record na tinanggap nila at kami mismo ang gagawa ng paraan kasi yung iba po nyan may soft copy pero yung iba talaga pong wala na," Luistro said.