PASIG CITY, Dec. 29 – Two days after typhoon Nina hit southern Luzon, President Rody Duterte visited Virac, Catanduanes and Pili, Camarines Sur. He was joined by Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones and other members of the cabinet.
According to initial reports of local DepEd officials, as of December 27, a total of 118 schools in the regions of Bicol, Mimaropa and Calabarzon are being used as evacuation centers for the 4,050 families affected by typhoon Nina.
In Catanduanes, five schools were reported to have been heavily damaged. These are: 1) Bote Integrated School in Bato East 2) Sto. Domingo Elementary School in Virac South 3) Jose Rizal Elementary School in San Andres East 4) Caramoan School of Fisheries 5) Cabcab Elementary School in San Andres West.
The buildings and roofs of these schools badly need repair. There is also a need for replacement of damaged school furniture. In Bote Integrated School, all learning materials and computers were destroyed.
The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Service of DepEd is gathering assessment reports from the other sites. We will give updates as the reports come in. (DepED)