SEVERE Tropical Storm Kristine ruined approximately P3.7 billion worth of schools and other learning infrastructure, the Department of Education said on Sunday.

DepEd said that the damaged properties would need P2.9 billion for reconstruction and P737.5 million for major repairs.

According to the October 28 situation report from the DepEd Disaster Risk Reduction and Management System, 38,376 schools suspended classes, with 888 schools flooded or affected by landslides and 1,127 schools used as evacuation centers.

With these damages, DepEd has launched a comprehensive recovery plan focused on ensuring that students can resume learning without further delay.

DepEd is eyeing more rehabilitation and recovery response through replacement of damaged learning resources such as textbooks, learning tools, equipment, and computer packages, additional Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses for Regional Offices (ROs), Schools Division Offices, and schools, reproduction of additional printed Self-Learning Modules, and setting up of temporary learning spaces, among others.

Education Secretary Sonny Angara said that DepEd remains committed to “minimizing disruption to education and swiftly addressing the challenges posed by the storm.”

“Our goal is clear: to bring students back to school and back to learning as soon as possible,” Angara said.