SUPER Typhoon Uwan (international name: Fung-wong) has left a heavy toll on the country’s education sector, with the Department of Education  reporting damage to 2,953 schools, impacting almost 16,000 classrooms nationwide.

According to DepEd’s latest situation report, out of the 15,889 classrooms affected, 10,400 sustained minor damage, 3,503 suffered major damage, and 1,986 were completely destroyed.

The Bicol region was the hardest hit, accounting for 8,283 of the damaged classrooms.

As of Wednesday, classes in 2,979 schools in the affected areas remain suspended, affecting 913,777 students and 46,877 school personnel.

Meanwhile, 968 schools, encompassing 4,747 classrooms, are still serving as evacuation centers across 12 regions.

In response, DepEd has deployed its Disaster Risk Reduction and Management teams to conduct on-site damage assessments and identify urgent needs. Preliminary estimates suggest that clean-up and clearing operations would cost around P151.5 million, while immediate relief and minor repairs could require at least P509.6 million.