The schools, severely damaged by Typhoon Egay's wrath, can immediately implement blended learning if the repairs are not yet completed before the opening of face-to-face classes this August 29, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said on Monday, August 14.
In an interview with the media during the kick-off of Brigada Eskwela 2023 in Victorino Mapa High School in Manila, Duterte said they have prioritized the repairs of Typhoon Egay-hit schools.
"Pero kung hindi umabot ang repairs nila by opening ng August 29 ay immediately i-implement ng ating mga paaralan ang blended learning program natin," she said.
Duterte said the DepEd will no longer allow learning disruption this school year.
"Palagi pong blended learning or in-person classes. Tuloy-tuloy ang pag-aaral kahit merong problema sa classrooms," the Education Secretary added.
In the same interview, President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. said many Egay-hit schools are not fully ready yet for the re-opening of classes.
"Kasi yung tumama yung bagyo, ang sabi namin ay ano ang magagawa natin sa isang buwan? So far, basta kung ano ang kaya nating gawin. Basta't kasama yung ating LGUs [local government units], ginagawa ang lahat para maayos ang nasira," he said.
Marcos also said that the school building program or the Brigada Eskwelda should be continued.
"Pero talagang malaking sagabal itong weather natin," he added.
The latest data showed that Typhoon Egay and the southwest monsoon have wrecked 196 schools in nine regions — National Capital Region (NCR), Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas.
