DepEd-7 Deploys Engineers to Yolanda-Hit Areas

(PIA) — The Department of Education (DepEd-7) deployed 15 engineers to Yolanda-battered areas in north Cebu to reassess and revalidate damaged school buildings and classrooms starting November 5 until November 18.

Dr. Victor Yntig, disaster focal person of the DepEd-7, said the engineers will make a thorough and complete assessment on the damage wrought by super Typhoon Yolanda to the remaining unrepaired public school buildings and classrooms and those that need to be replaced a year after the disaster.

“Areas to be visited by the engineers are the municipalities of Bantayan, Sta. Fe, San Remigio, Medellin, Daan Bantayan and the three towns of Camotes Islands San Francisco, Pilar and Tudela as well as Bogo City,” said Yntig.

In a recent press briefing that commemorated the 1st year anniversary of the Yolanda disaster, Yntig said there are still 1,213 classrooms that have not yet been repaired in north Cebu out of the identified 1,597 classroom buildings.

Out of the 527 classrooms that need replacement, only 399 new classrooms have been constructed so far, with a gap of 128 that still needed replacing, further said Yntig in the same press briefing.

Yntig said the two-week deployment of engineers will determine the needed amount for allocation of funding for the remaining gap of classrooms and school buildings.

The DepEd-7 official said by November 24 to 28, the engineers will consolidate its assessment data to come up with an actual Program of Works among other inputs necessary for the budget allocation which will be submitted to their Central Office.

Meanwhile, the US Navy expressed willingness to help in the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts of school buildings in the typhoon-affected areas.

“We are more than willing to help fast track the reconstruction of classroom buildings and help repair damaged ones,” said Lt. Mike Sapienza, Officer-in-Charge of the US Navy Construction Civic Action Detail Philippines who was present during the briefing.

Sapienza said the US Navy team has 30 personnel involved in constructing school buildings in southern Cebu together with the Philippine military under Central Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

The team has built 10 classrooms in the cities of Toledo and Carcar and the town of Aloguinsan.

Sapienza said the construction of two classrooms in Carcar City costs about US $100 million and US$ 115 million for the three classrooms in Aloguinsan while the five newly-constructed classroom buildings in Barangay Pook, Toledo City is worth US $150 million.

Yntig, on the other hand, said he would coordinate with AFP-CentCom and the US Navy to help them fast track the rehabilitation and reconstruction of damaged classrooms and school buildings in Yolanda-hit localities. (rmn/fcr/PIA-7)

Image Credit: reliefphilippines.com